


Save You

by 2Dglasses



Category: Big Bang (Band), Super Junior
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Brothers, Drug Use, Hurt/Comfort, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-08-24 01:38:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 75,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16630439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2Dglasses/pseuds/2Dglasses
Summary: There are two main families in Seoul these days - Hujin and Keun. Both are legitimate businesses, but underneath these powerful networks lies a heartbreaking secret that ties the families most prominent members together. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun, brothers and sons of the Hujin CEO, are placed right in the centre of their fathers’ cruel and twisted outlook on life. GD, the face of the Keun family along with his trusted friend Seunghyun, discover the darkness in their rival’s heart.But will the feared and ruthless G-Dragon use this knowledge to his advantage or will he recognise when help is needed? Even when it is from your enemy…





	1. The Hujin Brothers

Part 1

Chapter 1

The Hujin Brothers

 

He ran through the dark night streets. Panting. Out of breath. He was running for his life. He didn`t know who was chasing him, but he knew they weren`t about to let him get away. The roads were empty so he knew he stuck out like a sore thumb and needed to hide. He turned into an narrow alleyway, hoping this would throw them off. The footsteps behind him were getting quieter. He glanced behind him and saw no one. He rounded a final corner and pressed his back against the bricks, pausing to even out his breathing. Sweat poured down his face. He peered back around the corner. There was nobody there. Relieved, he rested his head back against the cold concrete and let out a heavy sigh.

“Caught your breath yet?”

Dread instantly shot through his body as he heard the voice coming from behind him. He whipped his head around and saw a figure standing in the darkness. He squinted his eyes to try to make out some details of the intimidating figure, but when it started moving towards him he broke out of his stare and pushed off against the wall. He swung around the corner in the direction that he came, hoping to escape, but instead he collided with somebody. The impact startled him and he fell to the damp ground. He shook his head and focused his sights to see a man in a black suit looking down at him with a blank expression. He was young and handsome. The panicked man scrambled to his feet and spun back around. By now his logic was all but gone as he tried running to the other end of the alley, but the figure from before was now much closer and halted his escape attempt. As the figure approached him, he was backed up against the wall. Now in full view in front of him, he could see that the figure was another handsome man in a black suit. He just stood in front of the terrified man and watched his composure wither away.

“Good evening, Mr Paek.”

The smooth voice spoke calmly. His handsome face smiling down at him. Paek glanced to his earlier escape routes to see that they were blocked, as more figures occupied the dark alleyway at both ends. His gaze was brought back to the man in front of him when he clicked his fingers in his face.

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Leeteuk.”

The other handsome man now joined them and leaned close to Paek’s shaking form, leaning his arm against the wall just beside his head. 

“And this is my brother, Kyuhyun.”

Paek gulped, terrified, as the two brothers towered over him.

“B-Brother?”

The cogs were turning in his head. 

“Y-You’re the brothers from the…”

Leeteuk glanced at Kyuhyun who returned his glance with a smile.

“...Hujin family?”

“That’s right, Mr Paek.”

The quivering man felt his stomach drop. He instantly knew that he was in serious trouble and began to shift against the cold brick wall. Suddenly he felt a strong palm held against his chest. Kyuhyun reached forward ever so slowly, getting in Paek’s face and smiling eerily.

“Does that scare you, Mr Paek?”

He didn’t know how to reply.

“I- I-”

“Come on, Kyu. Play nice. We’re just here to talk business with our good friend.”

Leeteuk’s calm voice was enough to convince his younger brother to step back from the wall. Leeteuk’s face softened and he reached into his jacket pocket. Initially this caused Paek to flinch, but when Leeteuk produced a handkerchief he relaxed. The older brother handed Paek the fabric and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“Relax, Mr Paek. You know why we’re here. We just want to know how the deal went. That’s all.”

The trembling man began to wipe the sweat from his brow violently.

“W-Well, I… I-”

Leeteuk slowly placed his hands behind his back.

“Well… what?”

He calmly asked.

Paek lost his ability to speak at that moment.

“I- It- It wasn’t- I- Please-”

A fist smashed into the side of his face, sending him toppling to the side before he was able to steady himself against the wall. 

“Spit it out!”

“Kyuhyun!”

The younger brother flexed his knuckles, staring down at Paek. He looked irate. Leeteuk turned to him and gestured down at the man with the now throbbing temple.

“Control yourself. We’ve worked on this.”

“I know, hyung. I just can’t deal with this idiot’s stammering.”

The younger brother turned his attention down to the man in question.

“Did you close the deal or not!?”

Leeteuk turned back to Paek.

“Well? Answer my brother, Mr Paek.”

The man, who was now hysterical, shook his head.

“I-I’m sorry. It was out of my hands.”

Leeteuk closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Paek straightened himself and held up his two hands defensively and tried to continue his nonsensical explanation. 

“They… they d-died, Leeteuk sir…”

The older brother brought his hand up to his face and ran it through his hair.

“Shit.”

He muttered before hearing his brother’s breathing pick up. He knew what this meant. He turned to Kyuhyun to see him reel his arm back and drive it towards Paek, letting out a frustrated growl. The quivering mess of a man yelped and covered his face with his hands, but nothing happened. He slowly removed the fingers covering his eyes and was shocked to see Kyuhyun’s fist embedded in the wall right beside his head.

“Kyuhyun! Are you out of your mind?!”

Leeteuk grabbed his brother’s arm, removing it from the concrete and bringing it closer to him to inspect the damage. It looked painful. His knuckles were cut, almost down to the bone and blood trickled down his arm. He looked at Kyuhyun’s face,  
but he was showing no signs of pain. Instead he was just staring at the crimson liquid now held in his hand. He didn’t look like he was fully present.

“Kyu? Hey, look at me.”

Kyuhyun eventually shifted his gaze to Leeteuk.

“Father is going to be furious.”

“Yes, he is.”

The younger man looked at his brother with an expression that spoke a thousand words. Leeteuk knew exactly what he was telling him as he had told him the same thing so many times before. 

“Hyung, I can’t…I…”

Leeteuk took Kyuhyun gently by the shoulders and looked into his sad eyes.

“I know. Believe me, I do. I wish things were different, but…”

Just then, a voice was heard coming from the alleyway entrance. Some men came running through the darkness and approached the brothers.

“Everything okay? We heard shouting.”

“It’s alright.”

Leeteuk’s tone had instantly switched back to his default calming droll. 

“Siwon, I’ll need you to take a look at Kyu’s hand.”

“Of course, hyung.”

The medic stepped forward and delicately took the younger brother’s injured arm in his caring hands. He could piece together what had happened from knowing what Kyuhyun’s temper was like and seeing the blood covered crack in the wall.

“Come on. Let’s get this on some ice.”

As Siwon and the others led Kyuhyun out of the alleyway, Leeteuk turned back to the still trembling man who had just witnessed the brother’s interaction. He let out one last sigh and looked into the man’s eyes.

“Mr Paek, do you have any siblings?”

The older man was surprised at the question.

“I- Yes, one younger brother.”

“What’s his name?”

“Y-Youngjae.”

“I want you to do me a favour.”

Leeteuk looked down at the ground before shifting his gaze back up to the other man.

“Call Youngjae. Call him every day and tell him that you love him…”

He hesitated.

“And please, Mr Paek. Pray for my brother tonight.”

Paek was a bit taken aback by the younger man’s request. He observed his features tighten as he slowly blinked, mind wandering.

“H-His hand will heal, I’m sure. I will pray for him, but I think your brother will be fine.”

“Yeah…”

Leeteuk glanced up at the stars in the night sky. Paek’s words rang into the dark air. He knew Kyuhyun would be fine. It wasn’t the first time he had hurt himself in his blinding recklessness. He closed his eyes and let the real meaning of his request remain in his thoughts only. He breathed in deeply and let out a long breath, also letting this momentary show of honesty out with it. He opened his eyes and looked at Paek once more.

“I’m sorry about your men.”

The smartly dressed man bowed before turning on his heels and disappearing into the smoky air, leaving Paek leaning back against the now blood stained wall. He wiped his brow once more with the handkerchief he was given before he looked up to where the younger man had just been gazing. He thought about what was asked of him. Once his breathing had returned to normal he closed his eyes and carried out the request, not knowing what was truly asked of him.


	2. Mr Hujin

Part 1

Chapter 2

Mr Hujin

It was late when they got back to the compound. The Hujin Family building was a large and highly secured complex. To any passers-by it would just pass as a building where important business took place. What they wouldn’t be able to see was the illegal activity that went on behind those thick concrete walls. The Hujin Family was a legitimate business enterprise in and of itself and it could have survived on it’s own. The illegal side was inherited and kept going through each CEO who also happened to be each son. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun weren’t too fond of the less than savoury dealings that their father would insist on partaking in, but they weren’t in a position to refuse to participate also. He was a powerful man and they knew full well what he was capable of.

 

Leeteuk walked in through one of the back entrances. He wanted the most amount of the time before his father knew that they had returned. He knew Kyuhyun had done the same. He made his way through the dark hallway and entered the lounge space. He saw his little brother lying on the couch with Siwon kneeling next to him. The medic was disinfecting the deep cuts on Kyuhyun’s knuckle. The two other men that had been in the alleyway were also in the room. Yesung, the petite man was leaning against the back of the couch and watching Siwon work. The other man, Eunhyuk, was standing just behind the medic, also observing the actions of the careful doctor.

 

The older man stepped into the room and shed himself of his black jacket, tossing over the armchair in the corner. A man came in through the door right after him. The driver, Donghae. He crossed the room and sat up on the desk near the bullet proof window. Leeteuk let out a sigh and sat on the arm of the couch and placed his hand on his brother’s shin, seeing the sweat on the younger man’s face.

 

“It went well then?”

 

Leeteuk instantly turned to the driver, glaring at him. It obviously hadn’t gone well at all.

 

“Relax. Just trying to relieve some tension.”

 

Donghae held up his hands and swung his legs back and forth. The older leader turned back down to his younger brother. Siwon was now wrapping a bandage around his hand.

 

“Okay, Kyuhyun. I’ll need to change this every morning and night so stay where I can see for the next week.”

 

The younger brother scoffed.

 

“Yes, mother.”

 

“Kyuhyun.”

 

Leeteuk scolded him half heartedly. His brother blinked up at him before his features softened.

 

“I know. Thanks, Siwon. Again.”

 

The medic nodded down at him and smiled. The door suddenly opened. Leeteuk spun around to see his larger friend standing in the doorway. His expression was blank.

 

“He wants to see you both.”

 

The man’s voice was deep with a dejected tone.

 

Donghae glanced over at Yesung who in turn glanced over to Eunhyuk. Siwon looked down and began to pack away his medical supplies. Leeteuk nodded sombrely and reached down to help Kyuhyun up. The brothers followed Shindong out of the lounge. The larger man slowed his pace so that he was walking beside them.

 

“I heard it didn’t go well.”

 

“No. Paek’s men were killed.”

 

Shindong rubbed his forehead.

 

“Shit. I knew we pushed too hard.”

 

He thought for a moment before turning to the younger brother.

 

“Kyu, keep calm in there okay? Don’t do anything to make things worse.”

 

“Worse than this?”

 

Kyuhyun held up his bandaged hand. Shindong stopped walking and turned back to him, stopping both brothers in their tracks. His eyes possessed a sincere look.

 

“Yes.”

 

He knew what he meant. They both did. Kyuhyun gulped and glanced to his brother before nodding. Shindong nodded back at them and they continued making their way to the CEO’s office. They eventually reached their destination; a large oak door with only the word ‘HUJIN’ on the wooden surface. Shindong spoke to the man standing guard outside.

 

“How is he today, Seunghyun?”

 

The tall guard shook his head.

 

“I’d be careful. ”

 

The larger man nodded sadly before Seunghyun opened the door for them. The three men stepped through the large door. Shindong remained right at the entrance as the two brothers crossed the intimidating space and closer to the big desk situated beside a giant pane of glass. The rain that had started not long before was falling violently from the night sky and pelting against the thick glass. The brothers stopped and stood in front of the large desk. A man stood looking out at the torrential weather with his back to the room. His was tall and his shoulders were broad. He didn’t move. Kyuhyun looked at his older brother after a moment. Leeteuk’s eyes were fixed on the back of his father. He didn’t dare say anything. Only the sound of the rain hitting the glass filled the room. Shindong stayed standing by the door, watching nothing happen. After what felt like hours, a deep voice bounced off the window pane.

 

“Paek is dead.”

 

A wave suddenly crashed against Leeteuk’s body.

 

“What?”

 

The tall man slowly turned around to face his two sons. His sharp features wore a blank expression, but even in the dim night light, Kyuhyun could make out the strain in his father’s face.

 

“He is of no use to us any more.”

 

“But sir, he-”

 

Leeteuk tried to reason with his senior, but was silenced when the man simply held up his hand. Shindong was always amazed how a headstrong man like his best friend could only ever be silenced so suddenly by a wordless wave of his father’s hand. The intimidating man lowered his arm and clasped his hands behind his back.

 

“Once again you’ve failed to carry out a simple command. The deal was already finalised, all you had to do oversee the safe transition of the goods and you couldn’t even do that.”

 

It was only partly true. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun were ordered to watch over a deal that was already finalised, but they were never told the parameters of said deal. Meaning they had no idea the extent of the risk that was involved, which happened to be high, resulting in Paek’s men being killed.

 

“Well, maybe we would have been able if you told us wh-”

 

The youngest man in the room was startled into silence when his father crashed his hands down on his desk, causing a loud bang to rattle the glass behind him. Kyuhyun instantly regretted opening his mouth when he saw the terrifying man he called his father approach him from behind his desk. The towering man stopped in front of him and gazed down at his youngest son. Leeteuk kept his eyes fixed on his father, dreading what he was about to do.

 

“Damn it, Kyu.”

 

Shindong whispered to himself and clenched his fists tight, knowing this wasn’t going to end well.

 

“You hurt your hand, son. Let me take a look.”

 

Kyuhyun gulped and glanced to his big brother who just looked sadly back at him.

 

“I-”

 

Their father simply held out his large palm and waited. Seeing no way out of this, the youngest man complied and rested his bandaged hand in his father’s. For a moment, the commanding man genuinely inspected the injury and Kyuhyun remained uneasily quiet. But he yelped as soon as he felt the giant hand snap closed and crush his own in a vice like grip. The boy crumbled to his knees in pain, feeling his treated wounds become undone.

 

“You’re so careless, Kyuhyun.”

 

His father spoke in a calm tone, all the while tightening his grip on his son’s mangled hand, causing him to cry out in pain. Leeteuk looked wide-eyed down at his writhing brother.

 

“Sir!”

 

He begged, but the man ignored him.

 

“You know, one day that mouth of yours will get you into a lot more trouble than it already has.”

 

Kyuhyun reached up with his good hand and tried to pry his father’s vice-like hand off of him, but it wouldn’t budge. Tears now clouded his vision as the pain became more intense.

 

“I don’t know where you got it from. Perhaps your mother. What do you think, son?”

 

Their father turned to his oldest son, directing the question at him. Leeteuk just wanted the man away from his brother.

 

“Father, please!”

 

The man stared down at Leeteuk, just letting his youngest son feel the pain for a few more agonising seconds before eventually releasing him. Kyuhyun instantly cradled his arm close to him and bent forward, sweat dripping down his face. Leeteuk knelt down beside him and took him by the shoulders. He looked down at his brother’s hand to see fresh blood seeping through the bandages. He felt rage build up inside him, but did his best to suppress it, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.

 

“Boys.”

 

The deep voice sounded from back at the other side of the desk, a safe distance. Leeteuk looked into Kyuhyun’s moist eyes, hoping beyond all hope that their father wasn’t about to say what they had heard so many times before.

 

“Stay back tonight.”

 

Shindong felt his heart sink as he heard the voice from all the way on the other side of the sweeping room. Kyuhyun shut his eyes, causing a tear to fall. Leeteuk stood up instantly.

 

“Sir, please don’t.”

 

His father sat on his chair. He placed his elbows on the desk and leaned his mouth on his clasped knuckles, thinking. For a moment, Leeteuk thought he was about to change his mind before the older man sighed and sat back against the leather.

 

“Next time, just do what you’re fucking told.”

 

With that, their father disappeared as he spun his chair around to face back out at the violent storm that was raging outside. Leeteuk could only look at the back of the chair in silence. He closed his eyes and felt the sting of fresh tears forming. Kyuhyun eventually stood up, feeling dizzy from the fresh wave of pain caused by his father. The younger brother took Leeteuk by the elbow and led him to the door.

 

“Three a.m.”

 

The final word from the deep and booming voice was the last thing they heard from him that night. Shindong opened the door and as soon as it was shut behind them, Leeteuk yelled as loud as he could.

Shindong looked at Seunghyun who was still standing in the hallway. He nodded sadly at the tall guard who acknowledged him by returning the gesture.

 

“I’m sorry, hyung. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have said anything. Shin, you warned me-”

 

Kyuhyun held his arm close, blood now staining his white shirt. Leeteuk turned to him.

 

“It’s not your fault, Kyu. He knew what he was doing. He… Fuck!”

 

The older man was irate and took his little brother by his good hand, leading him back to the lounge. Shindong sighed and took out his phone to text Siwon and ask him to come back. Although, knowing Siwon, he most likely hadn’t left. Especially when he knew that the brother’s had gone to see their father. Once the medic had replied to say he’d meet them in the lounge, Shindong turned back to Seunghyun.

 

“I’ll see you later.”

 

Seunghyun nodded once more and watched the man disappear down the corridor. He let out a sigh and leaned his head back against the wall.

 

“Shit…”


	3. The White Haired Boy

Part 1

Chapter 3

The White Haired Boy

 

Everybody had gathered back in the lounge and Siwon had fixed the additional damage done to Kyuhyun’s hand. Every time the team had an assignment they met back at the lounge to share a drink afterwards.

“Okay, guys. Thanks for today. Go home and get some rest.”

Leeteuk said as he finished the whiskey held in his shaky hand. His team had noticed the tremble, but didn’t mention it to him. 

“Hyung, you and Kyunhyun-ah should get some rest too. It’s been a heavy day for you both. Much more than us.”

Siwon suggested kindly.

Leeteuk glanced at his brother before answering.

“We have some work to do for our father. Don’t worry about it. We’ll call you guys if anything comes up tomorrow, but Siwon you’ll need to come in to look after Kyu.”

“Of course.”

They team bid their leaders goodnight and left into the early hours. Shindong was able to move closer beside his best friend now. He looked at his watch. 

“We have time.”

He informed them before pouring the brothers one last drink. The three men slowly swallowed the strong alcohol, savouring the warm feeling it caused in their throats. Shindong closed the bottle of whiskey and made his way to a cabinet beside the window to retrieve a bag. He returned to the couch and took a clean glass from the table.

“Do you have everything?”

Leeteuk asked, sadness lacing his tone.

His friend wiped the glass with a cloth, placing it and the half empty bottle of whiskey in the bag with the rest of what they were going to need.

“Now we do.”

The older brother nodded and looked down at his watch.

“It’s three.”

Three men wordlessly stood and exited the lounge, repeating the same path that they had taken hours previously, only this time their sense of unease had greatly intensified. They rounded the last corner and made their way down the endless corridor to see the tall figure still standing outside the door. They reached him and took in his appearance. They could usually tell from how Seunghyun looked how tough their night was going to be.

It was going to be a bad night.

The guard was wearing his usual all-black suit, but unlike before, he wasn’t wearing his jacket and his tie was removed, leaving his top buttons undone. His skin had a sheen of sweat and his dark hair was slightly messier than it was normally required to be. Shindong took in the sight of the tall man and felt a heavy feeling in his chest.

“Right after you left… until about five minutes ago.”

Seunghyun informed them. Kyuhyun looked at his brother.

“That’s almost four hours…”

Leeteuk looked at his younger brother before mentally psyching himself up. He turned to the guard and nodded.

“Thank you, Seunghyun.”

The guard frowned in reply, but nodded.

“Just… take it slow.”

The three men entered the now empty office. Shindong handed Leeteuk the bag before making his way into the CEO’s bathroom, returning after a moment with a basin of water and a towel. He gave one last look to the older brother and nodded. Leeteuk walked over to a picture of a woman which was on the wall and looked at it. Her dyed white locks flowed in the summer breeze and her beautiful face smiled that familiar smile that warmed his heart. He kissed his finger and placed it on the young woman’s lips. 

“I’m sorry, mother.”

He whispered before opening the frame and pressing a button that was on the inside. Suddenly there was a click and the wall that he picture was hung on released, allowing Leeteuk to slide it open. Kyuhyun and Shindong followed him through the newly opened passageway and down the steps that were revealed. Once at the bottom, the cold air could be felt and the darkness distorted their vision. A few steps further and they reached their destination. A small room. The only light getting in was the moonlight shining from an area in the wall where two bricks were missing. Too high to reach and too small to climb through. The rain had died down and only a few stray drops were making their way in through the small gap. The light from the moon reached the far wall and cast it’s glow over something on the ground. A body. A man.

Leeteuk slowly placed the bag down and inspected the room. He always took in the condition of his surroundings first. It told him vaguely what state the man huddled in the corner would most likely be in. That, and the temperament of his father that evening, which in this case was particularly bad. He couldn’t make out much in the dimly lit room, but he could see the bare mattress in the corner which was rarely occupied. Just above, stuck to the wall was the same picture that Leeteuk had opened to grant him access to this dark basement. Only this one was warn out, her face barely visible. His eyes scanned the floor and further corners of the room. Some dark stains decorated the cold, hard ground as well as the walls that met in the corner where the prone figure lay. Leeteuk turned back to his friend and nodded. Shindong took that as an instruction to pull on a string that was next to the door. As he did, a weak glow filled the room that came from a single light bulb that was hanging from the ceiling.

Kyuhyun frowned as the man in the corner became a little clearer. He was facing away from them. His bare back exposed in the cold night air. His spine jutting out through his smooth skin. His only clothing was a pair of black pants that looked like they were the same pair he had been wearing for months. They were. Leeteuk slowly approached the shaking form, being careful to be as quiet and non-threatening as possible. When he eventually reached him, the older brother lowered to his knees and reached for the man. When his delicate hand made contact with his shoulder, he instantly felt how cold he was and how hard he was trembling. His heart sank and he brought his other hand to rest in the man’s messy white locks. The exact same dye colour as his mother’s. He could see the same dark crimson that painted the floor had become embedded in his bright locks, harshly sticking out in contrast. Leeteuk ever so slightly pulled the man towards him so that he was now on his back, his damp head resting on his hand. The full image of the blonde man now made itself fully clear.

His beautiful face wore signs that he wasn’t fully conscious. His soft eyes were closed and his lips were parted. But the usual beauty that the blonde man had always possessed was tainted by signs of cruelty and abuse. His full lips were cracked and blood was trickling down his smooth chin. Harsh bruising decorated his face and a long stream of blood was pouring from his temple. Leeteuk’s eyes travelled down his torso and saw angry bruising all along the man’s side and abdomen. He was so thin that his crooked ribs were visible through his decorated skin. He lowered his head momentarily before returning his gaze to his damaged face when he heard a small sound. The blonde’s eyes shut tight and Leeteuk saw his jaw tighten too. He was painfully regaining consciousness. The brother kept his hand underneath his head and placed his other gently over the bruising on his abused stomach. His movements were familiar to the man and Leeteuk felt a weak grip in his hand, confirming that he knew who Leeteuk was.

“I’m here, Heechul.”

The blonde opened his eyes and took in the image of his older brother kneeling above him. Kyuhyun saw this as a sign that he could now approach his brothers. The youngest man made his way over to the corner and knelt next to Leeteuk. He examined his brother’s condition, feeling his chest constrict as he took in the angry bruising that marred his smooth skin.

“Hey, big brother. It’s over now.”

His brother’s dark eyes looked up at him and proceeded to break his heart even more. Leeteuk turned back to Shindong.

“Okay, Shin.”

His right hand picked up the basin and brought it over to place in between the brothers. Leeteuk released his gentle hold on the injured man and soaked the cloth in the basin of warm water. He turned back to Heechul to see that he was watching his movements very carefully. He held the cloth close to his brother’s face and waited. The blonde closed his eyes and Leeteuk took this as permission to bring the damp fabric to him and gently brush it along his skin. Kyuhyun scooted forward and took the blonde’s now free hand. The grip weakly tightened as Heechul sighed against the soft touch of the warm water. It felt so nice. Leeteuk thought how this was the only non-violent contact he would have had in days. It made his heart ache. Once he was satisfied that his face was clean from blood he soaked the cloth back into the warm water, tainting it in crimson. The oldest brother sat back on his heels, placing his hands on his thighs and studying his younger brother. 

Kyuhyun felt the grip in his hand tighten and saw Heechul shift.

“You want to get up, hyung?”

Leeteuk supported the blonde under his back and helped Kyuhyun pull their broken brother up. Heechul groaned in pain as his bruised stomach was forced to bend. Once he was upright, they helped him turn so that he could sit with his back against the cold wall. The blonde sighed and let his head fall back against the concrete. His legs were spread out in front of him and he rested his shaky hands in his lap. Nobody spoke. Instead, Shindong made his presence known by reaching into his bag and pouring a glass of whiskey that the team had shared that night. He approached the blonde brother and immediately brought the glass up to his lips, tilting it back to make sure that the alcohol made it’s way down his throat. Heechul was a little startled at first, but once he tasted the familiar warmth on his tongue he relaxed and leaned his head back further, closing his eyes. Shindong always gave him alcohol on nights like this. One reason was to include him in the team’s nightly toast, even though they didn’t know that he existed. The other reason was to help him become numb. From his father. From the pain. From his life. He saw that the glass was empty and took it away from the blonde’s bruised lips. The larger man placed the glass on the ground, silently promising to pour another for the beaten man later.

“I’m so sorry, Heechul.”

Leeteuk spoke, placing his hand on the blonde’s knee, again taking in the severe bruising that covered his brother’s body. He saw the younger man’s muscles tense every time he took a breath.

“The deal didn’t go through. Paek and his men were killed. Father was furious.”

Heechul looked at him flatly through his heavy lids.

“I k-know.”

“Of course. Sorry. That was a stupid thing to say.”

Of all people, Heechul was aware how angry their father was. The corner of his mouth curved up slightly at his brother’s sheepish reply. Kyuhyun took this moment to wordlessly crawl so he was sitting beside his blonde brother. He rested his head gently against the older man’s shoulder and just savoured the sensation of being beside him. He almost felt as if Heechul was protecting him even though he was the one being looked after. After a moment, Kyuhyun felt his injured hand being touched. He looked down to see Heechul pointing at the bloodied bandage. He looked up to meet his big brother’s concerned eyes.

“Oh, this. I might have… punched a wall.”

Heechul furrowed his brow and looked to Leeteuk for clarification.

“Paek was being his usually babbling self. Kyu got impatient.”

Heechul blinked back down at his little brother’s injured hand before bringing it up to cracked lips and kissing it.

“Hyung.”

Kyuhyun felt his throat tighten and his eyes sting at the loving gesture. This man still found a way to be his older brother even when he was beaten senseless just minutes ago. Leeteuk smiled at the gesture, feeling his shattered heart warm up. No matter what their father did to Heechul, how badly he hurt him, the boy never lost who he was.

“Chullie.”

His big brother’s tone caused the blonde to bring Kyuhyun’s hand down to his lap, still holding it, and shift his gaze to Leeteuk.

“How bad?”

Heechul remained silent for a moment. Kyuhyun felt the grip in his hand tighten slightly.

“S-Seven.”

The brothers had set up a number system for Heechul to tell them how severe the time with their father was for him. He had never told them ten before. The night of the twentieth anniversary of the their mother’s death was the only time he had gone as high as nine. That night, when Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Shindong came to him, he was beaten so badly that he was unconscious for three days afterwards. They hoped it would never get that bad again. Or worse.

Leeteuk nodded in response.

“Does it feel like anything is broken?”

The blonde shook his head.

“I-I don’t think s-so.”

Leeteuk thought for a moment before turning to Shindong and nodding. His right-hand picked up the whiskey and poured another glass. He raised it to Heechul’s mouth and let him drink the strong liquid again. Leeteuk was hesitant giving his brother alcohol. If their father discovered that he was drinking he wouldn’t be happy. It had happened before. But sometimes, he couldn’t help savour seeing his brother’s features soften with each sip. Once Heechul had taken the last mouthful of the numbing drink, Leeteuk shifted towards his younger brother and hooked his arms under his knees and across his shoulders, lifting him up effortlessly. The blonde was scarily thin. Always had been. He brought him over to the far corner of the room and lay him down on the mattress. He stepped over him so that he could lie down beside him, his front pressed warmly into his brother’s back and his arm draped around him. Kyuhyun joined them on the bed and lay down on the other side of the blonde. He curled into a ball and buried his soft head into Heechul’s chest. Leeteuk reached forward and kissed the top of his brother’s blonde head. 

“Sleep, Chullie. We’ll stay with you until morning.”

The three brother’s fell asleep in seconds, each keeping each other warm in the cold night air. They were exhausted, each having a horrible day. Shindong smiled at the sight and reached into his bag, pulling out a small blanket and placing it over the sleeping boys. He sat down next to the bed and leaned back against the wall. He poured himself a glass of whiskey and took a long sip. He watched the brother’s sleeping forms, reminded of when they were all kids. He had seen this image so many times that it was burned into his mind. He wondered how many more times he would sit here and watch these three brothers share the only truly peaceful moment they had with each other.

And he hoped that one day the blonde boy would see what the world looked like outside these four dark and blood-stained walls.


	4. A Cold Winter

Part 1

Chapter 4

A Cold Winter

 

One Year Ago

He walked down the winding gravel path. The cold, crisp winter morning biting at his tanned skin. There was a freshness in the air that only came during the winter months and he loved it. He blew out warm breath through his lips and watched it dance and swirl in front of him. He smiled and continued walking towards the house at the end of the path. His mother had invited him over. He didn’t often get to see her these days so he welcomed the opportunity as he had always been close to her growing up, but lately he didn’t have as much time to spend time with her. Running a company took up most, if not all, of the young man’s attention. The full nature of his company, his mother didn’t know. The woman who raised this boy didn’t know that he was going to grow up to be a prominent figure in one of the two most powerful crime syndicates in Korea.

He let himself in and greeted the woman with the kind face. She peeped out from the doorway down the hall that led into the kitchen. A beaming smile was present on her warm face.

“Ah, just in time! Coffee’s ready.”

He smiled at his mother’s cute antics and joined her in the kitchen. She finished pouring into his cup and placed it on the table beside him. Before he could finish taking off his jacket, she crushed him in a bear hug causing his jacket to get squashed in between his arms and chest and her body.

“It’s great to see you, Jiyongie.”

As his arms were trapped in his tangled jacket so he returned her embrace by leaning his head forward and resting his chin on her shoulder, his black hair tickling her cheek.

“It’s good to see you too, mother.”

The woman eventually released her crushing embrace, allowing Jiyong to finally remove his jacket and drape it over the back of the chair before he sat at the table, gesturing for her to join him. She held her warm cup in both hands and sat beside him.

“So, tell me. How is my beautiful son doing these days?”

She asked lovingly. The young man thought back at what had happened in his life between now and the last time he saw his mother. He wouldn’t dream of mentioning the amount of people he had killed or almost killed.

“I’ve been doing well, mom. Business is good.”

He took a sip from his mug, wishing to end his explanation there. He didn’t lie. He just omitted most of the truth. The woman smiled, clutching her mug tighter, letting the ceramic heat her hands.

“That’s great, son.”

She grinned and playfully nudged his shoulder before continuing her questioning.

“Any girls I should know about? Huh?”

Jiyong smiled shyly and giggled when his mother gently nudged him again.

“No. None.”

She didn’t let up even at how adorably bashful her son was becoming.

“Any guys?”

This caused him to laugh harder and his face to glow. He loved how his mother never cared about social norms and always told her son to just be himself.

“Afraid not, mother”

The woman laughed louder before, placing her hand on his arm.

“Okay, I’ll stop.”

“What about you? How’s Janghoon?”

His mother took another sip of her coffee before answering. Jiyong saw the slight change in her demeanour.

“Well, I actually wanted to talk to you about that, son.”

“What is it?”

He apprehensively asked, knowing his mother was about to say something significant.

“You know Janghoon and I have been together for ten years now and, well, things are going well for him in work and…”

Jiyong was losing his patience.

“Come on, mom. You can tell me.”

“Well, a new opportunity came up for him. It’s in Japan and I was thinking I would go with him.”

“Oh.”

That was not what Jiyong was expecting.

“Jiyongie, it’s been eighteen years since your father…”

“I know. I know you and Janghoon were serious. I just- This is…”

Neither spoke for a moment. His mother took a nervous sip from her cup and shifted in her seat. She was about to stand up, but her son answered before she could.

“You should go.”

“Really?”

He smiled warmly at her.

“Really. He makes you happy. You know that’s all I want for you, mom.”

She felt her heart warm up at her son’s words.

“That means the world to me, Jiyong.”

She shifted her chair closer and took his hands in her own.

“I know it’s been tough since your father di-”

“Before he was killed.”

She felt her son’s hands clench as he spoke.

“Don’t ever let what that psychopath did be forgotten. One day the world will know how much of a monster Hujin is.”

His mother watched the boy’s eyes became glassy as he felt the memory of his father.

“Son...”

The woman stayed silent for a moment, thinking deeply. Jiyong was brought out of his memories by his mother’s unusual silence. He looked up at her.

“What is it?”

“I can’t leave you without telling you…”

The boy straightened up.

“Without telling me what?”

She hesitated.

“Mother.”

It was time.

“Okay.”

She let out a quiet, shaky sigh before she began.

“You know that Hujin has two sons, right?”

Jiyong nodded.

“Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. Everyone knows them. The Hujin Brothers. I don’t like them, mom. Other then the fact that I want to decapitate their father, they’re also my business rivals. We’ve never met personally, but we cause a lot of trouble for each other.”

“Less of the graphic imagery, Jiyong.”

“Tss!”

Her son let out a defiant noise, gesturing with his hand and leaning back in his chair.

“Anyway, what I need to tell you concerns the youngest son, Kyuhyun.”

“Of course it would be the more annoying one…”

His mother chuckled.

“Oh, wow. Then you’re really not going to like what I’m about to tell you.”

He looked at her with a deadpan expression before raising his voice.

“Just tell me, woman!”

“Well, Kyuhyun, he…”

She sighed one last time, knowing that whatever way she said it would garner the same reaction.

“He’s your half brother.”

Jiyong was stunned, sitting up straight immediately.

“How is he- I… What?”

This was going well.

“It’s true, son.”

Jiyong sat back against the chair carelessly, exasperated, and hung his head behind him for a moment before before running a hand through his black hair.

“How?”

“Well, I used to be very good friends with Mrs Hujin.”

“Mrs Hujin? You knew her?”

She nodded.

“She and I were close…”

The woman had a sad look on her face. For a moment she remained silent before looking back up at her son.

“Do you know how she died, Jiyong?”

“I remember reading that she died after giving birth to their second son.”

Jiyong trailed off as he tried figure it out.

“But mom, that doesn’t make sense. If she died after giving birth to Kyuhyun then how does that make us half brothers? We have different fathers.”

“She died after giving birth to their second son, not Kyuhyun.”

“Huh?”

Jiyong was gob smacked.

“You mean, there’s another brother?”

His mother nodded.

“Heechul. I met him when he was a baby. Beautiful boy.”

Jiyong saw his mother smile as she thought back to the moment she visited her friend in the hospital after giving birth to the boy. She held Heechul in her arms and watched his pretty eyes light up at the contact.

“I was pregnant with you at the time. There were complications when Heechul was born and she became very sick. Mr Hujin was distraught. Wouldn’t even look at the boy he was so worried about his wife. She actually never left the hospital after giving birth to him. She was too sick.”

Jiyong watched his mother’s features sadden with each sentence, in silence.

“A year and a half later, you would have been only one at the time, I visited her in the hospital. When I asked her about Heechul she would just start crying. She told me how she and Mr Hujin had always dreamed of having three children. Three boys. She was too weak at that stage, so she asked me to carry the child.”

“She…”

By now there were tears in his mother’s eyes.

“I couldn’t refuse, Jiyong. In my heart I knew it was her dying wish. So I carried the baby for the both of them and nine months later Kyuhyun was born. She died three days after…”

Jiyong felt a lump in his throat at how heartbroken his mother sounded.

“It’s funny. During that whole time, I never once saw Heechul again. I would often see their eldest, Leeteuk, playing when he would visit his mother in the hospital, but never Heechul. I can still see his beautiful face. Those big eyes… You know, he would only be a few months older than you now.”

Jiyong really didn’t know how to process everything he was told.

“Wow…”

“I know it’s a lot to take in and I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to leave and not tell you the truth.”

Her son’s mind was racing.

“Does Kyuhyun know that Mrs Hujin wasn’t his mother?”

“I honestly don’t know. After she died, I didn’t get a chance to see him again. Mr Hujin kept me from seeing any of them.”

“That basta-”

“Jiyong.”

She warned, causing him to let out a frustrated sigh.

“I’m sorry. Mom. It’s just… How can he stop you from seeing the child you gave birth to?”

“He can do whatever he wants it seems.”

Jiyong let his mind wander back to the mysterious child.

“Heechul…”

He said as he began to wonder.

“The secret son…”

He continued as his brain moved a mile a minute.

“Jiyong, don’t you dare use that child as a business tactic.”

She scolded her son.

“At least I know that Kyuhyun is healthy and safe. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t think of that sweet boy. But I know deep down that Heechul was blamed for his mother’s death. And every time I see Leeteuk and Kyuhyun on television my heart aches to know the reason why Heechul isn’t up there beside them.”

Her son nodded.

“I’m sorry, mom. It’s just… a lot.”

“I know, sweetheart. Are you okay?”

“I will be. Don’t worry.”

Jiyong and his mother eventually moved onto some lighter topics as this would be the last time they saw each other before she relocated to Japan. He left her house at about ten and kissed her goodbye. He began to walk down that familiar gravel path that he had so many times before. The cold air now felt freezing against his skin that was still trying to cool down from his mother’s overheated house. He looked up at the clear night sky and at the thousands of bright shining stars.

“So... a brother, huh?”

He reached into his jacket pocket and took out his phone. He dialled the number and held it to his ear, keeping his gaze up at the shining orbs in the sky.

“Seunghyun, it’s me. We need to talk.”

 

“So there’s another Hujin brother?”

Seunghyun stood behind the sofa with a cigarette between his fingers. Jiyong was leaning against the window sill also savouring the strong taste of smoke. Three other men were in the room with them. Youngbae, the leader’s best friend and confidante was sitting on the armchair next the warmly roasting fire. Daesung, the family medic was sitting on the arm of the sofa beside Seungri, the enforcer of the team.

“Apparently so. His name is Heechul.”

“Heechul?”

Seungri repeated.

“So, what does this mean for us?”

The oldest in the room asked, taking a long drag from his cigarette. Jiyong mirrored his hyung’s action before answering.

“It means that we finally have an edge over Hujin.”

He instantly felt an aching feeling in his chest.

‘Jiyong, don’t you dare use that child as a business tactic.’

His mother’s words rang in his ears. He momentarily contemplated listening to them, but this information was too valuable to not use it to his advantage.

“Hyung, what do you mean?”

The leader turned to the medic, his face glowing in the soft moonlight.

“Think about it, Dae. If the world found out that the almighty Hujin Corporation`s honest and wholesome CEO has another son that he hasn`t told anyone about, then they`ll begin to wonder. ‘Can I really trust this man enough to consume his services?’ ‘What else isn’t he telling us?’ It would shake the very foundation of the company.”

Their leader was getting more and more animated as his plan became more clear.

Youngbae spoke for the first time.

“But Ji, what if this kid just doesn’t like the spotlight? He could be working with Leeteuk and Kyuhyun behind the scenes. He mightn’t even be in involved in the family business.”

“Do you really think Hujin would allow that? No, Youngbae. There’s something going on.”

Seunghyun stepped forward holding a folder, tossing it on the table.

“I think Jiyong’s right. I did some research. The only known record of Heechul is his birth certificate. Nothing else. No pictures. No school attendance records. Nothing.”

Seungri shared a glance with Daesung.

“Now, if we were to just release the birth certificate and it turns out that what Youngbae suggested is true and he is just keeping his head down, then we’ll look like idiots trying to shamelessly defame our rivals.”

The team nodded in agreement with their leader.

“But if we’re able to get clear evidence that this Heechul kid is alive...”

Jiyong again thought of his mother’s story and how dire it seemed for the child before continuing.

“...or even dead, then we can destroy Hujin.”

Nobody said anything for a while. They let the idea sink in. Eventually, Seungri lay back in the chair and put his hands on top of his head.

“Wow. Who would have thought?”

Jiyong turned to the oldest member and looked intensely into his dark eyes.

“Seunghyun, I need you.”

The other man knew what he meant. It had been years since he had gone undercover. At this stage though, he found himself to be extremely curious about this mysterious brother and there really didn’t seem to be any other way.

“I’ll make the necessary preparations.”

“Thank you.”

Jiyong placed a hand on the tall man’s shoulder before turning back into the room and approaching the fire place, gazing into the dancing flames. He still hadn’t told his team that he was related to Kyuhyun and at this moment in time, he wasn’t about to.


	5. The Boy in the Basement

Seunghyun had been working as Hujin’s assistant for a little over a week. He hadn’t seen much so far. All he had been doing was getting used to the layout of the building and setting up appointments for his boss. He hadn’t met any of the brothers yet and he didn’t get a sign of anything suspicious. He assumed that because he was so new to job, he wouldn’t be trusted with any important or valuable information about the family yet. He hadn’t even seen evidence of any shady activity in the whole compound. They were experts at hiding their illegal exploits most likely in case the police were tipped off and raided the place. If they had busted in right then and there it would just seem like a legitimate business with a perfect record and one hundred percent transparency in these records. He had reported this back to Jiyong who had been expecting as much. He knew that this would take some time and that’s why Seunghyun was perfect. He was the most patient man Jiyong knew and he was excellent at his job.

 

It was seven a.m. Seunghyun stood outside Hujin’s office like he usually did. Only entering when he was called. He was to dress in an all black suit and always have a gun strapped to his waist and a fully charged phone in his pocket. The only numbers that he had in this particular phone were Hujin’s and Shindong’s. He thought it was funny how he had met the brother’s personal assistant already, but not them. However that was about to change today as the door opened and the man in question stepped out. He closed the door behind him and smiled at the taller man.

 

“Good morning, Seunghyun.”

 

“Good morning, sir.”

 

The larger man chuckled.

 

“Shindong, please. We’re on the same level.”

 

The taller man nodded.

 

“Shindong. Thank you. Does he need me?”

 

“Not this morning. But he asked me to introduce you to Leeteuk and Kyuhyun.”

 

‘Finally’, Seunghyun thought.

 

“Right this way.”

 

The two men walked through the sweeping hallways of the compound until they reached the brother’s favourite hang out spot. Shindong knocked on the lounge door and stepped through gesturing for the taller man to follow. They crossed the room to where two young men were sitting on a couch. They both stood up when they saw the new face.

 

“You must be Seunghyun. I’m Leeteuk and this is my brother Kyuhyun.”

 

Seunghyun bowed deeply at them both. He took the older brother’s hand when he offered it and felt the firm hold. The younger man reached forward too. His grip was decidedly weaker and his face not as warm.

 

“It’s an honour to meet you both.”

 

Leeteuk politely nodded and gestured to his assistant.

 

“I see you’ve met Shindong. He’s myself and Kyuhyun’s right hand. Sometimes I think we’d all be standing in a pile of rubble right now if it wasn’t for him.”

 

Shindong blushed at the compliment.

 

“Please, sit.”

 

They all sat on the wrap around couch. Shindong poured each of them a drink. The oldest took a sip and savoured the sting in his throat before speaking.

 

“So, how has your time working for our father been so far?”

 

Seunghyun needed to be careful.

 

“It’s been fine. Nothing too difficult. To be honest, I’ve spent most of my time outside his door.”

 

Leeteuk laughed.

 

“Yes, he’s a pretty private man. I think his last two assistants died of boredom.”

 

That wasn’t true, but he wasn’t about to get into that. Seunghyun smiled at the attempted joke, all the while the younger brother was eyeing him up, trying to read him.

 

“Seunghyun, the next few weeks are going to be quite hectic around here. One of our most profitable clients is under investigation for illegal activity and if we lose him it could be very damaging for us.”

 

“I see.”

 

Leeteuk hesitated for a moment. He took another sip from his glass. Only then did Kyuhyun look away from Seunghyun to his brother.

 

“Hyung...”

 

Leeteuk gave his brother a look.

 

“It’s alright, Kyu.”

 

He turned back to the new employee. Shindong watched the younger brother look down at the glass in his hands that he hadn’t yet raised to his mouth. Then he switched his gaze to Leeteuk who placed his empty one on the table.

 

“Seunghyun, our father is a powerful man. He has friends all over the city. The police force, the mayor, even some judges.”

 

The tall man listened carefully to what he was being told.

 

“Which is why it is very important for this business to succeed.”

 

Seunghyun glanced to Kyuhyun who was still just staring down at his glass.

 

“But the added stress that an investigation like this can bring can also cause our father to act a little... erratic.”

 

He didn’t really know what to say to this piece of information so he remained neutral.

 

“We all deal with stress in our own way, sir.”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“That’s very true.”

 

The man reached into his breast pocket and took out a card.

 

“You are going to see some things in the next few weeks that will be quite shocking, I’m sure. All I can say at this time is that it has always been like this. No matter what you or any of us in this room think, at the end of the day, our father’s word is final.”

 

Seunghyun furrowed his brow. A deep ache filled his stomach along with a sense of foreboding.

 

“All I ask is for you not to tell anyone about anything that you see.”

 

“Our father’s last two assistants didn’t die of boredom.”

 

Those were the first words spoken by Kyuhyun thus far. Seunghyun glanced to the other assistant who had an understanding look on his face. Leeteuk leaned forward and slid the card towards the taller man.

 

“Mine and Kyuhyun’s numbers. If you can’t reach Shindong for any reason, call one of us.”

 

Seunghyun took the embroidered card and glanced back up at Leeteuk.

 

“Whatever he asks you to do just do it. Don’t ask questions. Afterwards, we’ll be here to take your call.”

 

His mind was racing at what he was being told. What did they mean? Why did they sound like the world was about to end? He wanted to ask so many questions, but he restrained himself. Instead he simply nodded and slid the card into his pocket. Kyuhyun took this moment to tilt his head back and down the alcohol in his glass in one go.

 

“Thank you, Seunghyun.”

 

The brothers stood causing Shindong and Seunghyun to follow suit. Leeteuk offered his hand once more. Seunghyun took it in his own and felt how much warmer it had become. Kyuhyun mirrored his brother’s actions, offering his hand also. The taller man grasped it and felt that the grip was a little bit tighter.

 

Seunghyun left with Shindong. As soon as the door closed, the larger man turned to him.

 

“I know you must have a million questions, but trust them, Seunghyun. They’ve both been through a lot.”

 

You would never know they had if you just went from what you were told from television and news articles. The confident businessmen always came across as content with life at press conferences and during interviews. The men he met today were different. There was sadness in their eyes and voices.

 

“Come on. I’ll walk you back.”

 

 

 

Of course Seunghyun went straight to Jiyong with the secrets he was told earlier that day. He sat in the lounge with quite a large drink. His boss sat across from him in a dark sweater and black slacks, barefoot. He had always seen Jiyong like a little brother and after today he thought not unlike Kyuhyun.

 

“They seemed like they had no control, Jiyong. As if they were almost afraid of their father.”

 

The smaller man listened intently to what he was being told, but at the same time somehow seeming to ignore the words.

 

“So, they said that one of their clients is under investigation?”

 

“That’s right. Leeteuk said that Hujin is under a lot of stress over it. Apparently, he’s one of their biggest clients.”

 

Jiyong smiled that familiar gummy smile that the older man always found adorable.

 

“This is great news, Seunghyun!”

 

Seunghyun simply nodded before taking a large sip from his glass. Jiyong noticed the older man’s lack of enthusiasm.

 

“Was there any mention of Heechul?”

 

The tall man gulped down the warm liquid and shook his head.

 

“No, nothing.”

 

Seunghyun saw his leader’s disappointment.

 

“Both Leeteuk and Kyuhyun seemed concerned about their father’s recent behaviour.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“I don’t know, but they were concerned enough to give me both of their phone numbers.”

 

“Really?”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“Leeteuk told me that I would need to be able to contact them.”

 

“Wow. You work fast, hyung.”

 

Seunghyun smiled at the fact that the man who was technically his boss still respected him enough to use honorifics, but the smile soon faded the more he thought about his interaction with the Hujin brothers earlier that day.

 

“Jiyong, there’s a sadness in that building. I can’t really describe it, but whatever they’re hiding, it’s dark and out of sight.”

 

The leader stood and walked over to his friend. He looked down at the still sitting man and placed a hand warmly on his shoulder.

 

“Seunghyun, don’t let the sadness you talk about consume you too. And if you feel like it is, tell me. Okay?”

 

“Okay. Thanks, Jiyong.”

 

Seunghyun smiled up at his friend before feeling a vibration in his breast pocket. He jumped and reached to grab the phone. He looked at the screen.

 

“It’s a text from Hujin.”

 

Jiyong watched him read the message.

 

“What does it say?”

 

Seunghyun turned the phone to show Jiyong the words on the screen.

 

‘Come to the office ASAP.’

 

The taller man looked up at his boss.

 

“Go.”

 

That’s all the permission he needed to grab his keys and drive to their rival’s building across town. He walked briskly through security and through the winding corridors towards Hujin’s office. He gathered himself and evened out his breathing before knocking. There was no answer so he let himself and stepped through. He closed the door behind him and scanned the dark office. It was after midnight at this stage. He wondered why Hujin had called him here when he wasn’t even here himself. He walked towards the desk on the far side of the sweeping space to see a piece of paper on the dark wooden surface. He picked it up and read the neat handwriting.

 

‘Clean up the mess in the basement. -H’

 

Seunghyun was puzzled. He placed the paper down and scanned the room for any signs of a basement. His eyes worked extra hard in the darkness until he eventually saw something that was different from all of the other times he had been in that imposing room. An opening in the wall was visible. Seunghyun wondered why Hujin would need a secret room in his own office. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach as he approached the dark hole in the wall. He glanced through apprehensively to see the steps that led down further. With each step his stomach sank further to the floor. He finally reached the lowest level and instantly felt the cold air seeping into his skin.

 

“What is this?”

 

He said to himself as he entered the room fully. There was no moon in the night sky so the room was almost pitch black. Seunghyun blindly edged closer into the dark room, but he suddenly felt something against his foot. His surprise mixed with his lack of vision caused him to trip and fall on his face. He stood up immediately and made his way back to where he entered and felt around for a light source. Eventually he found a string and pulled it, causing the dim light from the single weak light bulb hanging from the ceiling fill the room. He spun around and instantly froze at what he saw. It was a person.

 

“What…”

 

Seunghyun slowly approached the man and with each shaky step he took he could take in more of this mysterious person. By the time he reached him he could see that this man was lying flat on his back. He was scarily thin and bruising covered the whole left side of his bare torso. His hair was as white as a ghost, his untainted skin almost as pale. Seunghyun wondered what could have caused such harsh bruising, but stopped wondering as soon as he saw the metal bat lying in the dark corner of the room. He stepped closer to the man and knelt down right next to him, studying his features. He was beautiful. His angular eyebrows hung smoothly over gently curved eyes that he knew would be even more alluring when they were open. He shifted his gaze down further and saw the crimson that was spilling from his pale lips. He was unconscious, but Seunghyun knew that bleeding from the mouth wasn’t good especially when he could piece together that the reason this man was out cold and covered in bruises was because of that bat in the corner.

 

He placed his hand on his pale, bare chest and felt a very slight rise and fall. This man was barely breathing. Seunghyun bent over him and gently shook his shoulder.

 

“Hey. Can you hear me?”

 

The blonde didn’t move even when he was shook. There was no sign of his consciousness returning. Not knowing what to do and starting to panic a little, Seunghyun stood up quickly and took out his phone. He scrolled to Shindong’s number and pressed dial. It was after midnight so he hoped he would answer. After ringing only once it connected.

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

“Shindong, I’m at the office. Um, there’s a man, i-in the basement…”

 

“Stay there. I’m on my way.”

 

The line went dead. Seunghyun heard the seriousness and urgency in his fellow assistants voice that only made him more concerned for this blonde man who was lying at his feet. He switched his phone to the camera and aimed it down at him. Jiyong would need to see this. He kept trying to wake him up while he waited for Shindong to arrive. Fifteen minutes after he hastily hung up the phone, Shindong appeared down the stairs holding a bag.

 

“Shit.”

 

He heard him say before he immediately dropped to the floor and took in the condition of the man he was now kneeling beside. Seunghyun joined him on the cold surface and watched as the other man felt the blonde’s pulse on his neck and placed the back of his hand on his forehead.

 

“Hujin texted me at around half past midnight to come into the office as soon as I could.”

 

The less experienced assistant explained as his mentor continued his basic examination that it ooked like he done many times before.

 

“He left a note telling me to clean up the mess in the basement. I came down and found him like this. I think Hujin beat him pretty badly with that bat over there.”

 

Shindong glanced behind to where Seunghyun was pointing to the metal weapon. He closed his eyes for a moment before straightening back up and sitting on his heels, letting out a sigh. He took in the bruising and small trickle of blood that dripped from the blonde’s mouth and pictured the image of Hujin beating the life out of him with the metal bat.

 

“Damn it.”

 

He cursed.

 

“Shindong, what’s-”

 

But before Seunghyun could finish his question, the other man reached forward again and took hold of one of the blonde’s arms.

 

“We need to get him upright so he doesn’t choke on the blood.”

 

Seunghyun took the other pale arm and helped Shindong pull the incredibly light man up. His head tilted forward and fell to his chest.

 

“Please hold him up.”

 

Shindong asked as he let go of the beaten man’s body. Seunghyun kept a hand on his bare chest and the other across the thin man’s back. The more experienced assistant shimmied a little closer to the blonde and reached up to take his delicate face in both of his hands. What he said next shook Seunghyun to his core.

 

“Heechul. Hey, come on. It’s Shin. You can wake up now.”

 

Heechul.

 

The man that Seunghyun was now holding in his arms was the secret brother that’s been kept hidden all these years. How could that be? He felt himself becoming light headed, almost loosening his grip on the man and letting him fall back to the cold floor. But once he steadied himself he felt himself instinctively tighten his embrace on the beaten man. Shindong began to lightly pat Heechul’s cheek, trying to wake him. It seemed to be working as the blonde’s brows slowly furrowed and his eyelids fluttered.

 

“Hey, that’s it Chullie. It’s okay. Almost there.”

 

Seunghyun admired the man’s patience and ability to change his tone from authoritative to warm and comforting so fast. He suddenly flinched when he felt the body he was holding jolt and heard a rough cough. He closed his eyes for a split second and he knew that there were now droplets of blood on his face and shirt. When he opened his eyes he saw a stream of blood pouring from the now conscious man’s mouth. He was struggling to breathe through the crimson liquid that came deep from inside him.

 

“You’re alright, Heechul. Slow breaths. Nice and easy.”

 

The blonde obeyed and did his best to slow down his breathing to an even pace. Shindong took this opportunity to gently dab a cloth against his delicate mouth, wiping the blood away. But the dark red liquid still dripped down his pale torso and onto his black trousers that were already decorated with dry blood from before. He groaned and clutched at his stomach, still not acknowledging the man that had him wrapped in his arms. Shindong rested his palm against the his thin bicep.

 

“Give me a number.”

 

Seunghyun watched Heechul close is eyes for a moment before answering.

 

“F-Five…”

 

Shindong nodded.

 

“Okay. Not too bad today.”

 

‘Not too bad?’ Seunghyun thought. This kid was half dead. If this was considered not bad then he would hate to see what they did. Besides, did this happen often? What was going on?

 

Heechul’s only reply to Shindong’s confirmation was to let out a sigh and attempt to lean back on his palms, but he stopped when he finally noticed that he was in a stranger’s arms. He turned his head to face the new person, almost causing their faces to touch. Seunghyun could feel a gentle breath against his nose. He felt the other stiffen in his embrace, but he made no signs to move.

 

“Chullie, this is your father’s new assistant, Seunghyun.”

 

Seunghyun knew that this man was Heechul, the secret son of Hujin, but it was another thing to hear it said right in front of him when he was holding him in his arms. The blonde looked sadly into his eyes and Seunghyun could detect a hint of pity.

 

“W-Why?”

 

His voice was soft and quiet.

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

He was confused by the vague question.

 

“Why w-would you… want to work for m-my father?”

 

Seunghyun didn’t answer immediately. He honestly didn’t know what to say.

 

“I…”

 

“Why would a-anybody want…”

 

The pained man trailed off and just hung his head from the sheer pain and exhaustion. Shindong wordlessly reached forward and took Heechul by the arms and pulled him close. He let the blonde fall forward and rest his chin on his shoulder. The eye contact that Shindong made with Seunghyun told the taller man that he understood his confusion.

 

“I’m… tired, Shin.”

 

The battered man mumbled into the fabric of Shindong’s coat, causing the assistant to bring up his hand and caress his soft, blonde hair.

 

“It’s okay, Chullie. You can sleep.”

 

It sounded like Heechul was asking for permission. Shindong moved to stand up, shifting the man who barely weighed anything so that he could carry him over to the mattress in the corner of the darkness. He gently lay him down on the uncomfortable surface. Heechul turned to face against the wall, curling in on himself with nothing to cover his bare torso from the cold bite of the moonless night air. Seunghyun watched how he trembled. Shindong lovingly ran a hand through his hair one more time before standing up and walking towards his bag. He took out a bottle of water and placed it on the ground next to the mattress. He then returned to Seunghyun.

 

“Come on. Let’s go upstairs.”

 

Seunghyun glanced back at the blonde one more time as both men exited the dark basement and returned to Hujin’s office. He instantly spun around to the other man.

 

“Shindong, I’m sorry, but what the hell was that?”

 

The larger man heaved the opening closed again, sealing Heechul back inside his dark and freezing cold prison. The loud thud sounded so foreboding, as if the blonde man would never see the light of day.

 

Shindong let out a sigh as he rested his palm against the wall. He closed the picture of the boy’s mother to once again hide the darkness away. He turned to the other man and gestured for him to sit on the couch in the corner of the office. They both took a seat.

 

“That was Heechul. Hujin’s son.”

 

Seunghyun knew already from Jiyong that Heechul was in fact Hujin’s son, but his genuine shock at seeing his condition doubled as the shock of finding out that Hujin had another son as if he didn’t already know.

 

“I don’t understand. Why is he… like that?”

 

He pointed towards the now covered up entrance. He only now really noticed the photo of the blonde woman that hung there. It was almost as if she was guarding the dark prison. That or guarding the boy inside.

 

“When Heechul was born, his mother became very sick. So much so that she spent the rest of her life in a hospital bed. She died only about a year after he was born. Hujin blamed him for her death and ever since, Heechul’s been locked away down there.”

 

“But Shindong, that’s crazy. It wasn’t his fault. He was just a baby.”

 

Seunghyun could feel himself becoming uncharacteristically worked up.

 

“I know, Seunghyun. We all know. Every time I go down there and see what Hujin has done to him… it makes me want to scream.”

 

“How could a father do this to his own son?”

 

Shindong didn’t have an answer.

 

“Why doesn’t anyone do anything? What about Leeteuk and Kyuhyun? He’s their brother, for god’s sake.”

 

“There are very few people who know about Heechul. Just me, Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. Truthfully, they’re afraid of him. And so am I, Seunghyun. He’s the most powerful man in Seoul. It doesn’t matter if you’re related to him. He won’t hesitate to hurt you. Heechul is the perfect example.”

 

“He’s a human being, Shindong.”

 

Shindong frowned.

 

“I know. I’ve known him since he was a child. I grew up with him. He’s like my own brother, Seunghyun. And it kills me to know he’s down here and to not do anything. But I fear that if we go to the police Hujin will just kill Heechul and pretend like he never existed. So I do my best to help him heal. I know it isn’t much, but if it helps relieve even a fraction of his pain then I won’t hesitate.”

 

The man sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

 

“I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in years.”

 

There was silence for a moment.

 

“Shindong, you said that Mrs Hujin died a year after having Heechul.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“What about Kyuhyun? The way you described it, it sounds like she was too sick to have another child after Heechul.”

 

“Mr Hujin was so adamant to have another child that they used a surrogate mother. So technically, he is Leeteuk and Heechul’s half brother.”

 

“I see. I’m assuming that’s also being kept secret.”

 

There was a slight bitterness to his tone.

 

“Yes.”

 

Shindong could sense the other man’s growing frustration at how helpless the whole situation seemed.

 

“Look, Seunghyun. I know it seems like we don’t care, but this is a sensitive situation. We’re doing everything we can.”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“I know, Shindong. It's just a shock. I won’t tell anyone and I’ll keep my head down. Don’t worry.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

The larger man stood up.

 

“Do you need a ride home?”

 

Seunghyun looked at his watch.

 

“I’m back in at six. I think I’ll just sleep here.”

 

“Okay, I’ll let Leeteuk and Kyuhyun know that you’ve met Heechul. I know you probably weren’t expecting to have to call me so soon, but thank you, Seunghyun.”

 

Once Shindong left, Seunghyun let out a loud sigh and leaned back on the couch. He placed his hands over his eyes. This was so much more messed up than he thought. How on earth could they keep something like this a secret? If Jiyong was being kept hidden away since he was a baby and abused like Heechul was then he would go on a rampage. And he wasn’t even related to Jiyong. He turned to look at the wall that was hiding the passage down to the secret son. He walked over and looked at the picture of who he could only assume was Heechul and Leeteuk’s mother. She was beautiful and had the same eyes as the blonde boy. As he studied the image he could feel his eyes getting heavy. It was an emotionally draining day. He placed his palm against the surface before backing away from the cold wall and leaving the office. He looked up and down the corridor, deciding to lie down in the dead end to the right of the office. He lowered down to the ground and lay on his side. 

 

It was cold, but he had layers covering his body. Heechul didn’t. At least, in Seunghyun’s mind he could share some of the boy’s discomfort until morning.

 

He didn’t sleep at all.


	6. Change of Plan

Part 1

Chapter 6

Change of Plan

 

He stood in front of the office door, fixing his ruffled shirt and brushing his hair back from his face. He was nervous, but he needed to do this. So without another thought, he knocked and entered. Immediately a deep voice filled the room as he closed the door.

 

“Ah, Seunghyun. Good morning.”

 

He approached the dark wooden desk that Hujin was sitting behind.

 

“Good morning, sir.”

 

There was a pregnant silence in the room.

 

“Sir, about last night…”

 

His boss didn’t look up from the file he was reading.

 

“I assume you have some questions.”

 

Seunghyun wasn’t going to tell him that he had called Shindong. He didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, especially after finding out how vicious this man could be.

 

“Sir-”

 

Suddenly, Hujin stood up and made his way around the big desk.

 

“How about we save the questions for now, Seunghyun? Instead, let me show you.”

 

The intimidating man opened the picture frame of his wife and pulled open the smooth wall. He led Seunghyun back down into the darkness that he was in only hours before. As soon as Hujin turned on the light, they were met with the exact same sight that Seunghyun left there. Heechul was still curled up into a ball on the hard mattress, his body was still shaking.

 

“Wakey! Wakey! Sleepyhead.”

 

It was strange to hear the usually stoic and imposing man speak as if he was speaking to a child. Seunghyun was almost certain he heard the tiniest groan from the man in the corner. As if he just wanted to be left alone forever. When Heechul didn’t move, Hujin strode across the room to his son and grabbed him by the leg, dragging him towards Seunghyun and throwing him at his feet. He landed right against the tall man’s shins.

 

“Come on now, Heechul. Don’t be shy. Say hello to Seunghyun.”

 

The violent man grabbed his son by his white locks and roughly held him up so that he was kneeling. His father stood behind him. Heechul didn’t do anything. He looked exhausted and was probably only staying upright by the harsh grip on his hair. His lack of movement earned him a harsh smack to the side of his head. Seunghyun flinched and watched him fall sideways before being hauled up again onto his knees.

 

“I said introduce yourself, boy. Tell Seunghyun who you are.”

 

The blonde blinked slowly as he hesitated. He kept his gaze down to the ground.

 

“I-I’m Heechul and I…I... m-murdered my mother…”

 

‘Oh my God’, Seunghyun thought to himself as he saw a single tear fall down the blonde’s smooth face. As if he had been trained to say these words if he were ever to meet somebody from the outside.

 

“That’s right.”

 

Hujin now looked up at his speechless assistant.

 

“Seunghyun, meet Heechul. My murdering, good for nothing son.”

 

He roughly shoved the boy to the ground and glared down at him.

 

“I keep his hair the same colour as his mother’s to remind him of what he did.”

 

That was ludicrous to Seunghyun as Heechul couldn’t even see his own hair and there wasn’t a mirror in the bare room. Did Heechul even know what he looked like?

 

Hujin’s own words angered himself, causing him to swing his foot back and drive it forward into his son’s stomach. Heechul curled in on himself and struggled to catch his breath. Hujin just watched his son writhe on the ground in silence for a moment. Seunghyun swore he saw a slight smile on the sick man’s face, but when he looked at his eyes they seemed sad. Only the blonde’s ragged breathing and silent sobs filled the bare room for what felt like an eternity. Seunghyun had never been more at a loss then at that very moment.

 

Hujin suddenly turned to face his assistant.

 

“I don’t need to tell you what will happen if word of the existence of my son leaves the confines of these four walls, do I?”

 

Seunghyun eventually peeled his eyes away from Heechul.

 

“No, sir.”

 

Hujin smiled creepily down at him.

 

“Good. Now come on. We have a busy day today.”

 

 

 

Jiyong was lying on his couch. He had a cold cloth resting on his forehead and a bad headache. They were frequent and painful, but he dealt with them. Unlike the Hujin Brothers, he wasn’t born into the family business. He had no relation to the Keun family prior to joined. He was brought in as a low ranking foot soldier and worked his way up. The Keun family boss was known to be ruthless and harsh. His preferred method of strengthening his employees was to berate and attack them until they earned his respect. He was especially harsh to Jiyong as he saw great potential in him. One infamous time, Keun's preferred method of discipline resulted in Jiyong getting headaches for the rest of his life.

 

This one wasn’t particularly bad. He could handle it usually, but once or twice they had him writhing on the ground in pain. But that hadn’t happened in years. He lay still on the couch and let the gentle feeling of the cool soaked cloth soothe his head.

 

Suddenly he heard the door open and close. He removed the cloth and looked up. Seunghyun was standing just in from the door with a blank look on his face. He wordlessly approached Jiyong and sat on the couch beside him. The smaller man swung his legs so that they were now crossed and he was facing his friend.

 

“Seunghyun, are you okay? You don’t look too good.”

 

He instantly forgot about his headache when he saw how defeated the other man looked. Seunghyun reached into his pocket and took out his phone. He tapped on the screen a few times before showing it to Jiyong. The smaller man blinked a few times to focus his eyes. He took the phone in his soft hands and looked at the image. It was a topless blonde man lying on the ground covered in bruises and blood. He looked half dead.

 

“Seunghyun, I don’t-”

 

“That’s Heechul.”

 

Jiyong furrowed his brow and looked up at his friend.

 

“What?”

 

Seunghyun looked down at his friend with a sad look in his tired eyes.

 

“It’s him, Jiyong.”

 

Jiyong held the phone up close to his face and examined the entire picture, taking in every detail of the kid.

 

“Is he even alive? I don’t…”

 

“It’s messed up, Ji.”

 

The smaller man looked up at his friend and sat back again.

 

“Is this from when you were called into the office?”

 

Seunghyun only nodded. He silently took a deep breath, getting ready to explain everything to his boss.

 

“Hujin keeps Heechul in a secret basement in his office. A dark room with only a mattress in the corner. It’s freezing down there, Jiyong.”

 

Jiyong looked back at the phone and imagined how it felt to be in a room so cold with nothing to cover your body.

 

“He’s beaten almost every day and only by Hujin himself.”

 

While Seunghyun was talking, Jiyong just listened to him in disbelief.

 

“I went down and found him like this.”

 

He gestured to the phone.

 

“I couldn’t wake him up so I called Shindong. When he came he knew exactly what to do, Ji. Like he had taken care of Heechul a thousand times.”

 

“Fuck…”

 

Jiyong kept his eyes fixed on the screen of Seunghyun’s phone.

 

“Then this morning…”

 

The taller man’s hesitation caused Jiyong to finally look up. He saw how uneasy Seunghyun looked as he recalled the days events.

 

“What happened this morning, Seunghyun?”

 

He cleared his throat before eventually answering.

 

“I asked Hujin about him. He took me into the basement and made Heechul introduce himself. He made him tell me that he murdered his own mother. Then he said that he keeps his hair dyed blonde to remind him of what he did to her.”

 

Jiyong blinked slowly at what he was hearing.

 

“Seunghyun, how long has he been down there?”

 

“From what Shindong told me, I think since he was child.”

 

“That’s… Do Leeteuk and Kyuhyun know about him?”

 

“Yes. Shindong said he would tell them that I met Heechul. I’m pretty sure that this is what they were warning me about.”

 

“But, why are they letting Hujin do this?”

 

Seunghyun could tell that his friend already hated the whole situation and didn’t understand anything about it at all. Hell, neither did he.

 

“They’re scared of him, Ji.”

 

Jiyong put the phone down on the coffee table and stood up quickly.

 

“Well, I’m not. This changes things, Seunghyun. At first it was just about bringing down the company, but I can’t let this continue.”

 

“And what do you propose we do then? The police aren't really an option.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“He practically owns them, Jiyong. And even if he didn’t, Shindong said that he would just kill Heechul and hide any evidence that he ever existed.”

 

Jiyong began pacing, clearly frustrated. He walked over to the fireplace and leaned on the ledge for a moment. Seunghyun watched his head hang between his tense shoulder blades. The inked wings on the back of his neck ever prominent. After a few minutes the smaller man spun around.

 

“Okay. We stick to the plan. Keep close to Hujin and help Heechul as much as you can. I want pictures, Seunghyun. Every time you go there, I need to know his condition.”

 

Seunghyun nodded. He would usually ask why the smaller man cared so much about a stranger, but having met Heechul first hand, he felt the same way. Jiyong sat back down beside Seunghyun and let out a tired sigh.

 

“The first and only thing Heechul said to me was to ask why I would want to work for a man like his father. I felt like telling him everything then and there.”

 

“Well, some time, maybe when you gain his trust, we can tell him.”

 

“Jiyong, are you sure? I mean, I want him to be free from that hell hole as much you, but we don’t know him. Does he even know who he is? Has he even really been given a chance to develop a personality if all he knows is pain and neglect?”

 

“Somebody taught him how to speak, Seunghyun. And I’d say he has a lot to say. Talk to him. Show him that you won’t hurt him and maybe he’ll open up.”

 

The taller man silently agreed.

 

“Hujin leaves on a business trip tomorrow. He’s left me in charge of Heechul.”

 

“Then that’s your chance.”

 

Seunghyun nodded and glanced over at the burning flames in the fireplace. He let the gentle dancing of the embers attract his attention so that he could clear his head. The image of Heechul’s ghost white hair and pain filled eyes crept back into his mind no matter how hard he tried. Suddenly, he thought of something.

 

“Oh, I forgot to mention. Shindong told me something interesting about Kyuhyun.”

 

Jiyong instantly knew what he was going to say, but he let the other man continue.

 

“It turns out that Kyuhyun has a different mother to Leeteuk and Heechul.”

 

His leader just looked silently at him. Seunghyun recognised that look.

 

“You knew already, didn’t you?”

 

Jiyong nodded.

 

“My mother told me.”

 

The taller man was confused.

 

“Your mother?”

 

Jiyong smiled to himself, knowing what the other man’s reaction was going to be like.

 

“The surrogate that the Hujins used to have Kyuhyun, well... she was my mother.”

 

Seunghyun was taken completely by surprise.

 

“What!?”

 

Jiyong laughed.

 

“I know. My reaction was the same.”

 

Seunghyun sat back and let out a sigh.

 

“So... you’re both half brothers… Wow…”

 

Jiyong copied his friends actions and sat back against the soft couch.

 

“Yeah…”

 

Both men sat in silence for a few minutes, letting the information of what they had just been talking about sink in. It was all a lot to take in. They were both comfortable enough with each other that they could share a silence and not become desperate to fill it. After about a minute, Jiyong turned his head.

 

“Talk to Heechul.”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“I will. I’ll find out who he is, for both of us.”

 

 

 

 

It was a strange new feeling for Seunghyun to be able to walk into Hujin’s office without a sense of dread in his stomach. The intimidating man wouldn’t be back until next week. It would be a good opportunity for him to do some digging around the office, but he decided to turn towards the basement hatch first. He opened the secret door and made his way down into the darkness once again, feeling the cold seeping ito his bones with ever step deeper. He reached the bottom and pulled the string to turn on the light. The dim glow revealed the blonde man that was sitting against the far wall. He looked up at Seunghyun in silence and immediately raised his arm to shield his eyes from the additional brightness. He must have sensitive eyes as the light really wasn’t that bright at all. Seunghyun crossed the room and knelt down in front of Heechul. The blonde had lowered his arm back down to his lap when his eyes had adjusted. He took this time to study the other man’s face. His sharp features were very prominent, but bore a kindness to them. Heechul  had a delicate hand resting on his stomach and his legs stretched out in front of him.

 

Seunghyun was about to hand him a bottle of water when he spotted an already untouched one next to his bed.

 

“You’re not thirsty? When was the last time you drank something?”

 

Heechul turned to look where Seunghyun was pointing beside his bed.

 

“I am… Shin f-forgot to open it for me.”

 

Seunghyun was horrified. Was this man really too weak to open a bottle of water?

 

“Oh. Here, let me.”

 

Seunghyun opened the bottle he was holding in his own hand before handing it over. Heechul took the plastic in both hands before drinking from it. The cool liquid felt so good against his torn up throat. Once he emptied the bottle he placed it on the ground next to him. He must have been parched.

 

“T-Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

Seunghyun sat back on the floor and rested his elbows on his knees.

 

“Your father will be away until next week. I’ll be looking after you.”

 

Heechul looked a little apprehensive.

 

“Is that okay? If you’d prefer I can leave you alone.”

 

“N-No, it’s okay. Don’t leave me alone. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun haven’t come f-for so long.”

 

Seunghyun felt very sad all of a sudden. Although it was true what the brothers had told him would happen. The place was a war zone this past week. People were constantly running around and Seunghyun hadn’t seen either Leeteuk or Kyuhyun since they met with him and gave him their cards. Had they not come to see their brother since then either? Shindong told them about when Seunghyun was called in. Hearing the man speak now, one thing was clear. He was lonely.

 

“Heechul, how long have you been down here?”

 

The blonde took a moment to answer.

 

“A-As long as I can remember.”

 

“Really? Your whole life?”

 

Seunghyun was pretty sure he felt his heart crack.

 

“My father has made it clear what h-he thinks of me. If I wasn’t his s-son I would probably be dead by now… I’d be better off…”

 

“Don’t say that.”

 

“It’s true. Leeteuk tells me what it’s like up there.”

 

The blonde glanced up at the ceiling.

 

“He’s shown me pictures. It looks so beautiful. S-So many colours… But all I see is black and r-red…”

 

“One day you will see all of those colours for yourself. I know it.”

 

Heechul blinked at the man.

 

“W-Why are you talking to me? Usually my father’s assistants d-don’t even look at me.”

 

Seunghyun couldn’t believe he was being asked that. The blonde seemed genuinely confused.

 

“Heechul, I’m talking to you because you’re a human being. It’s about time you were treated like one.”

 

The boy furrowed his brow and studied Seunghyun’s face. So many times his father had acted nice and had even given him candy on a few occasions only for him to rip it out of the child’s hand and beat him senseless. Hujin stopped doing that when Heechul was old enough to not fall for it anymore. So he was always a bit slow to trust anyone, especially new faces.

 

Seunghyun made a move to stand up.

 

“I have to take your father to the airport. I’ll come back later. What would you like to eat?”

 

The blonde was at a loss for words.

 

“What w-would I like?”

 

Seunghyun was fully standing now.

 

“Yeah. What’s your favourite?”

 

“I d-don’t know...”

 

Of course. Why would Seunghyun think that he would have any sort of a choice considering how he was treated.

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring you my favourite food. It’s also my best friend’s favourite too.”

 

Before Seunghyun left he walked over to the bottle of water next to Heechul’s bed. He stood in front of the blonde and made a move to open the cap for the weaker man. He twisted the top, but only slightly. He knelt down and placed the bottle on the ground at the blonde’s knees.

 

“I only loosened it for you. You’ll need to open it yourself and gain some strength.”

 

With that, the tall man spun on his heels and exited the room. After a moment, Heechul took the bottle in his hands and attempted to open it. He twisted the cap with all of his strength. Just when he was about to give up, the top cracked and came away from the bottle. The blonde smiled to himself. He wasn’t even thirsty, he just wanted to see could he do it. He put the lid back on the bottle and placed the it in front of him.

 

He liked his father’s new assistant.


	7. The Dragon in Jiyong

Part 1

Chapter 7

The Dragon in Jiyong

 

 

Seunghyun returned that evening. Hujin had given him strict instructions not to go down to the basement except at night to give Heechul water. He also gave the man permission to keep the boy ‘in line’ if he was uncooperative. The tall man nodded and said “Yes sir” like a good assistant, having no intention of following any of that bastard’s orders. In fact, he was going to do the opposite.

 

He made his way down into basement to see Heechul sitting exactly where he had left him. He had been gone for hours. Had Heechul really just stayed sitting there the whole time? Suddenly, Seunghyun had a horrible thought. He made his way towards the blonde who eventually noticed him.

 

“Y-You came back.”

 

Seunghyun smiled as he stood in front of the man.

 

“Of course. I said I would, didn’t I?”

 

“Yes, but not everyone means what they s-say.”

 

Seunghyun nodded. He knew what the blonde meant. Especially in a world like theirs, people rarely meant what they said.

 

“I brought food, but I want you to do something for me first.”

 

Heechul was a little apprehensive. This man had proved a lot nicer than the previous ones, but he still didn’t know what he was capable of. He decided to bite.

 

“What?”

 

The dark haired man looked down at the blonde for a few moments before raising his hand high above his head.

 

“I want you to touch my hand.”

 

Heechul furrowed his brow.

 

“What? W-Why?”

 

“Because I want to see something. Now, come on. We won’t be eating until you at least try.”

 

The blonde didn’t see any other way of proceeding other then doing what he was asked so he slowly brought his legs in close before pushing himself up so that he was kneeling unsteadily. He was finding it hard to keep his balance so he braced himself against the wall behind him. He winced as he straightened his legs. Seunghyun noticed him favouring his right leg and keeping his weight off of the left. He also heard how the blonde’s breathing became a little more shallow and he saw how his skin now shone from the sweat that began to form from the strain of holding himself up by himself. Heechul eventually straightened his spine as much as he could, which was still not even enough to be fully standing. He was still a little hunched, his face only reaching the taller man’s chest.

 

“S-Seunghyun…”

 

The dark haired man stayed firm in his command. Continuing to just look down at the struggling blonde while holding his hand above him.

 

“Keep going. You’re almost there.”

 

He wasn’t. Heechul sighed and rolled his spine so that he was standing up straight. It looked unnatural for him and he looked like it was causing him a lot of pain. At his full height, his dark eyes were on the same level as Seunghyun’s nose and the other man could now clearly make out how much strain this position was causing the slightly smaller man. His question was slowly becoming answered in front of his eyes.

 

The blonde brought his head up to look up at how far he had to reach. He inwardly cursed as he realised how futile this all seemed, but he wanted to give it a try. He brought up his right arm and raised it as high as he could. The shift of his weight caused him to fall back against the wall. He gasped as his back hit the hard concrete. Seunghyun was about to lower his arm, but stopped when he saw the blonde push away from the surface and approach him again. He reached up quickly and jumped to touch the hand being held up high. When he landed he fell forward against the taller man. Seunghyun heard Heechul let out a pained breath as he hit his chest, his whole weight now against the dark haired man.

 

Seunghyun held Heechul and lowered them both down so that they once again sat on the cold ground.

 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you to do that. I’m sorry.”

 

Heechul breathed heavily and pulled away from the other man, sitting back against the wall. He was covered in sweat and let his head fall back. He closed his eyes and tried to even his breathing.

 

“I wanted to see if you could stand up.”

 

“You could have j-just asked me…”

 

There was a tone of annoyance in the blonde’s voice.

 

“I know, but I wanted to see.”

 

“To see what? M-Me struggle to do what everyo-one else finds so easy?”

 

Seunghyun didn’t have an answer. He waited until the blonde’s breathing had slowed down to a regular level.

 

“Why can’t you stand up?”

 

Heechul opened his eyes slowly, looking down the smooth bridge of his nose at the other man with heavy eyes.

 

“I c-could, but he crushed m-my leg and it didn’t heal right. So now it h-hurts too much.”

 

“Shit…”

 

Seunghyun thought to himself.

 

“If I knew I wouldn’t have made you do that. I just saw that you hadn’t moved all day and wanted to know. I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t w-worry about it. Really.”

 

The dark haired man reached behind him and produced a bag. He reached inside and took out some food wrapped in tin foil and two cans of beer. He was originally going to have Heechul open both cans, but after already tiring him out he opened them himself. He handed one to the blonde.

 

“Have you ever had alcohol before?”

 

Heechul looked at the can and nodded.

 

“Shin gives me whiskey to help make the pain go away.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Seunghyun didn’t quite know what to say. The blonde had never had alcohol to simply enjoy it.

 

“Well, cheers.”

 

He gently hit his can against the other and took a sip. Heechul copied the other man’s actions. Seunghyun reached down and opened the tin foil wrap.

 

“These are dumplings. Do you know what they are?”

 

Heechul leaned forward and shook his head once he saw the contents of the foil. Seunghyun handed the blonde the now opened foil before reaching and taking the other for himself. Heechul watched the other man take a bite from the meat dumpling.

 

“Mmmm. Try it.”

 

Heechul hesitated before taking a small bite. He closed his eyes and just savoured the new taste.

 

“You like?”

 

The blonde smiled and nodded. He really did like the new and exciting taste that was given to him. After they finished eating, both just sat and slowly sipped on their beer. Seunghyun didn’t take his eyes from the blonde man.

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

“I don’t have to s-stand up again, do I?”

 

Heechul replied sharply and very slightly smiled. The dark haired man smiled and laughed softly in reply.

 

“How did you learn to speak?”

 

Heechul was a little surprised at the question, but he answered.

 

“My brothers taught me. L-Leeteuk used to bring his homework down a-and we would do it t-together. T-They weren’t allowed down here so they would always sneak in after dark…”

 

Seunghyun could tell he wasn’t done talking. Heechul took a slow sip from the can.

 

“One time he caught us a-and… he… He hit Kyu so hard that he l-lost the hearing in his l-left ear… After that… he only ever hit me so Leeteuk and Kyuhyun s-stopped coming so often. T-To protect me…”

 

“Heechul… I…”

 

“My turn.”

 

The blonde sat forward a bit, taking another sip from his beer. Seungyun chuckled and took another sip himself.

 

“Okay. Shoot.”

 

“Tell me about your f-friend. The o-one you said likes to eat with you.”

 

“Ah, you mean Jiyong. He’s my best friend.”

 

Seunghyun took out his phone and scrolled through his pictures. He showed the screen to Heechul. The blonde took the device to get a closer look.

 

“This picture was taken at our friend Youngbae’s birthday party three years ago.”

 

The photograph showed Jiyong next to Seunghyun. The height difference was prominent and the smaller man looked so cute you would never know that he ran a crime ring. His orange hair hung loosely over his face and he wore a black t-shirt tucked into grey jeans. His boyish features showed a genuine and infectious smile. Seunghyun saw Heechul automatically smile also.

 

“His hair is black now and he looks a little more mature. Not much though.”

 

Even not in his presence Seunghyun took the opportunity to playfully berate his best friend.

 

“He’s h-handsome.”

 

The blonde admired his youthful face.

 

“Maybe you’ll meet him one day.”

 

Heechul looked up through deadpan eyes.

 

“T-That’s not funny, Seunghyun.”

 

“I’m not joking. You never know what might happen, Heechul.”

 

Seunghyun knew that the probability of that happening was a lot greater in reality then what Heechul could be aware of right now. But perhaps sooner rather then later, he could tell him what was really going on.

 

For now, he was just enjoying spending time with this man. The missing Hujin brother.

 

 

 

“When he’s not unconscious he’s actually a pretty funny guy. He’s got an attitude. Not unlike yours really.”

 

Seunghyun walked beside his smaller friend who smiled as he took out a cigarette from his packet. They walked through the night street on their way to a deal going down.

 

“Aaand he thinks you’re handsome.”

 

Jiyong almost choked on the cigarette he was attempting to light. Seunghyun laughed at how flustered he had become.

 

“He said that?”

 

“Jiyong, are you blushing?”

 

The taller man mocked.

 

“No, I- Shut up!”

 

Seunghyun continued to laugh causing Jiyong to push his friend out of frustration.

 

“We’re here. Let’s go.”

 

They both turned into a park where a group of people were gathered. There were about six in total.

 

“Gentlemen. Good to see you all. Nice evening, isn’t it?”

 

Jiyong spoke in a raised voice as they both approached the group from the darkness. The group turned to get a look at them.

 

“Who the fuck is that?”

 

Jiyong made his way to the middle of the group and stood with his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. Seunghyun stopped just at the edge of the group, letting his boss do his thing.

 

“Get the fuck out of here! We got business to take of.”

 

Jiyong only smirked, laughing at how clueless these guys were.

 

“Do you even know where you are?”

 

The circle began to close around the man who had disrupted their deal.

 

“Yeah, asshole. We’re in a secluded park so nobody’s gonna see what we do to you if you don’t fuck off!”

 

Jiyong turned to the guy who last spoke and walked towards him. He stopped and looked down at the training bag that was in his hand.

 

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say that this is cocaine.”

 

The man glanced to his friend beside him, shifting uncomfortably.

 

“So what if it is.”

 

“You know that this park is a drug free zone. In fact, this whole town is a drug free zone.”

 

“Says who?”

 

“Says me.”

 

The park filled with laughter.

 

“And who the fuck are you?”

 

The smaller man blinked up at the man holding the drugs.

 

“Two letters.”

 

The man froze. His friends didn’t hear what Jiyong had said.

 

“What did he say, man?”

 

His friend asked.

 

“I-It’s GD… It’s fucking G-Dragon!”

 

Jiyong smiled up at him and stepped closer, causing the man to drop the bag and step back.

 

“Fuck this! First Hujin says no drugs and now you! Where the fuck are we supposed to go?”

 

A voice came from behind him, but before he was reached, Jiyong spun and roundhouse kicked the man who had charged for him, knocking him out cold. Then there was silence.

 

“It was a mutual agreement. Anyone else have any objections?”

 

Nobody answered. Seunghyun smiled at how much of a commanding presence the small man was.

 

“Good. Now, this place will remain drug free and if anybody even thinks about trying anything like this again…”

 

He did a full circle with his body, making sure to look at every one of them.

 

“I will personally kill you myself.”

 

Still, nobody dared to speak. Jiyong turned back to the man that was holding the bag originally and approached him slowly. He stood right under his nose and looked at him through anger filled orbs.

 

“Get the fuck out of my park.”

 

His voice was low and cold and it sent the two gangs running. Jiyong reached down, took the bag and returned to his friend. Seunghyun laughed and watched the smaller man walking towards him.

 

“You never fail to impress me, Ji.”

 

His boss bowed dramatically.

 

“You wanna come back for a drink?”

 

“No thanks, Ji. I’m going to go see Heechul.”

 

“Ah! Tell him the handsome man said hello.”

 

Jiyong winked playfully before looking his friend in the eye.

 

“But seriously, Seunghyun. How is he doing?”

 

“He’s okay now that Hujin is gone until next week.

 

Seunghyun turned to see his friend’s response, but saw that he had his hand against his forehead and his eyes shut.

 

“I should ask you the same thing by the looks of it. Are they getting worse?”

 

Jiyong gritted his teeth.

 

“Not worse, just more frequent.”

 

He took his hand away and smiled up at Seunghyun. The taller man saw through the smile. It wasn’t nearly gummy enough to be genuine.

 

“Go. Check on Heechul. I’ll be fine.”

 

“Are you sure? I can stay with you tonight.”

 

Jiyong chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.

 

“I’m sure Heechul has a lot more then a headache. Go to him. Don’t make me order you, Seunghyun.”

 

Seunghyun smiled and nodded before breaking off and heading in the opposite direction, towards the Hujin compound.


	8. Kyuhyun's Mistake

Part 1

Chapter 8

Kyuhyun's Mistake

 

 

Seunghyun visited Heechul every day that week. He wanted to try and help him gain his strength so every time he brought a can or bottle he would have the blonde open them. They would never eat until he stood up fully and for the last few days he would take a few wobbly steps before collapsing to the ground. Seunghyun was secretly proud of himself for accomplishing this much and of course he was proud of Heechul. Over the course of the week, Seunghyun kept Heechul updated on the trial, but he didn’t want to keep the mood down so he showed him more pictures of Jiyong and told some funny stories of when they were growing up together with Youngbae. He thought he had painted a pretty good picture of his friend for the blonde.

 

It was the day before Hujin was due back from his trip. Seunghyun was in front of Heechul who was taking shaky steps towards him. The taller man stepped back with each step that the blonde took forward.

 

“Just a few more. You’re doing great.”

 

Suddenly he felt a vibration in his pocket. He took out his phone and looked at the screen.

 

“It’s Shindong.”

 

He looked back at the blonde.

 

“See if you can stay standing while I’m on the phone, okay?”

 

“O-Okay.”

 

Heechul answered through his shaky deep voice.

 

“Shindong. Hello.”

 

“Hi, Seunghyun. I’m sorry it’s been so long.”

 

There were loud voices in the background that sounded like Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. The younger brother more audible as his voice was raised.

 

“Don’t worry. Is everything okay there? It sounds like a lot of commotion.”

 

There was a bit of a pause and Seunghyun thought he heard Leeteuk in the distance telling someone to calm down.

 

“Honestly, things are a bit chaotic at the moment. The trial isn’t going well. The verdict should be out by the end of the week.”

 

“Shit…”

 

Seunghyun glanced back to Heechul who was sweating and strained as he used all of his energy to remain upright.

 

“But that isn’t why I called, Seunghyun.”

 

There was a tone in the man’s voice that made him feel uneasy. Suddenly there was shouting that Seunghyun could hear clearly.

 

“What were you thinking!? What were we specifically told!?”

 

“What’s the big deal!? It was just some coke!”

 

“Father had an agreement with GD. If the Keun family finds out about this…”

 

There was shuffling and Shindong’s voice returned through the receiver.

 

“Sorry. I had to get out of there.”

 

“What was that about, Shindong? I heard something about cocaine.”

 

Heechul looked up slowly at the taller man, feeling the strength seep from his body as he bent forward from sheer exhaustion.

 

“Kyuhyun thought it would be a good idea to sell drugs in one of Hujin’s districts. You probably know about the no drug agreement that Hujin has with GD of the Keun family.”

 

Seunghyun thought back to only hours ago when Jiyong confronted the gangs in the park. He was well aware.

 

“I’ve heard of it, yeah. Why would Kyuhyun do that?”

 

“He thought if he could make some extra money for the family then it would distract Hujin from the trial, to make it easier on Heechul. His intentions were good… but, I’m afraid he’s only made things worse.”

 

Seunghyun ran a hand through his hair. This would no doubt hurt the Keun family too. And the altercation in the park that night would be for nothing. This was bad.

 

“Yeah. Now the other gangs will most likely think that the agreement is broken. We’ll just see more drugs resurface now.”

 

“That’s true, but I meant that he’s made things worse for Heechul.”

 

“What? What do you mean?”

 

There was a short pause on the other end.

 

“Seunghyun, where are you now?”

 

He instantly shifted his gaze to the blonde, but found that he was not standing in front of him. He was crumpled on the ground at his feet.

 

“Oh, shit!”

 

He was instantly on the floor beside the now unconscious man. He placed the phone between his cheek and shoulder to allow him to be able to use both of his arms to try to get the blonde to come around.

 

“I- I’m with him. I’m with Heechul.”

 

“Okay, you need to leave. Hujin is on his way back right now.”

 

“I can’t leave him alone, Shindong.”

 

The other man sighed on the other end.

 

“You don’t want to be there when he gets back. He’s not happy.”

 

“When is he ever happy?”

 

Seunghyun was getting frustrated now as he held the blonde in his arms, lightly patting his cheek and watching his face wake.

 

“Seunghyun, listen to me. Go home. Come back in the morning. Kyuhyun will come to the compound. It was his mistake. He'll deal with it. You need to leave.”

 

He sighed, silently agreeing. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if he was there to just watch what was happening.

 

“Fine. I’ll come back in the morning.”

 

“Good. Thank you, Seunghyun. How has he been?”

 

He looked down at the exhausted man in his arms. His tired eyes were half open and he looked like he wanted to just lie like this forever because it was one of the only times he wasn’t hurting. His heart sank when he thought of what this boy would be subjected to in just a few hours time. He petted his white locks gently.

 

“He was doing good, Shindong. He really was."

 

He spoke sadly.

 

"Maybe his brothers would have noticed if they bothered to come see him.”

 

He emphasised the ‘was’ because he knew that after tonight, the blonde would lose the little bit of strength he was able to gain over the last few days.

 

“I’m sorry. I really am. But with Hujin away and the trial they simply didn’t have time. And they knew that you would be here. I’ll come by in the morning. Please try to get some sleep, Seunghyun.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Seunghyun hung up the phone and shoved it into his pocket before turning all of his attention to the man in his arms.

 

“Heechul, I have to go.”

 

The blonde instantly knew what was going on.

 

“K-Kyu?”

 

Seunghyun nodded. Heechul nodded in reply and reached forward with his hands, throwing his weight so that he could sit up. He stretched out his shoulders and looked back at the tall man.

 

“T-Thank you… for this week. It w-was nice for a change.”

 

“I’ll find a way to bring you more food.”

 

Heechul laughed a little.

 

“N-No. My f-father will notice if I put on w-weight.”

 

That was true. A very sad truth.

 

“B-But please thank J-Jiyong for the beer.”

 

“You’ll get to thank him in person one day, I swear to you Heechul.”

 

The blonde only smiled in reply. Seunghyun stood up and placed his hand on the smaller man’s smooth shoulder.

 

“I’ll be back tomorrow. You’ll be okay.”

 

He didn’t believe his own words and he knew that Heechul didn’t either.

 

 

 

Kyuhyun clenched his fists tightly together as he walked through the entrance of the Hujin compound. It was just after ten in the evening and there was a horrible calm in the air. The compound was pretty much empty bar the few guards patrolling the outside. It was as if everybody just knew not to step in the path of the hurricane tonight, especially considering it was a day early. Leeteuk had offered to come with him, but his younger brother refused as it was his mistake and he didn’t want him to see any of the scenarios he was picturing in his head. But Leeteuk made Kyuhyun promise to ring him as soon as their father left and he would come straight over to help afterwards.

 

He walked slowly through the silent corridors thinking about his other brother. The brother that he was going to have to watch being abused by their father. How on earth did they let it get this far?

 

So far that it was considered routine. He was only their father by name, Kyuhyun thought.

 

He made it closer and closer to the one place he dreaded to go. His feet felt like weights and his chest felt like a locked cage that was getting more rusty with each step. He eventually reached that oh so familiar door. The door to hell. He took hold of the handle and sighed as he let himself in.

 

The office itself was dark and empty. He immediately turned towards the passage when he saw that it was open and heard noises coming from deep within. He knew that his father was already down there with his big brother so he made his way down quietly, but quickly. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and saw two figures on the ground. Hujin was on top of Heechul, his back towards Kyuhyun. Their father was bent over his son. All Kyuhyun could see of Heechul were his legs kicking underneath. Kyuhyun stepped closer and saw that the older man was choking his brother. The blonde was doing his best to reach up and grab at his father, but the other man was too tall and heavy to move.

 

“Are all of you completely useless, huh? What kind of heirs am I raising? If your mother was here she’d know what to say so I wouldn’t have to do this to you, son. You’ve nobody to blame, but yourself.”

 

Heechul couldn’t speak with his father’s huge hands wrapped around his throat squeezing the life out of him. He choked and struggled and just hoped for the darkness to come.

 

“If his mother was here then maybe she would be able to talk some into you!”

 

Kyuhyun’s voice filled the room. Hujin suddenly turned around, his hands still holding Heechul by the neck, to see his youngest son standing with his fists clenched tight and tears in his eyes.

 

“Ah, the man of the hour. Good to see you, son.”

 

Their father turned back down to the boy he was looming over and watched him shifting beneath him. The words of sass that Kyuhyun had said previously just now sinking in. Heechul’s dark eyes were half closed as he struggled to cling to consciousness. He would start to feel a little sorry for his son, but all he had to do was look up at those familiar white locks and be reminded of his sweet wife, mother of the boy below him and the need to blame him returned. He let go of his son’s delicate throat with one hand and reared it back before sending it towards his face, punching him hard in the temple. He stood up as soon as he made contact, allowing the impact to send Heechul twisting to his side. Blood sprayed onto the floor from the cut that was now present along his hairline. He curled into a ball, clutching his neck and coughing, struggling to catch his breath. The horrible, gut-wrenching sounds caused Kyuhyun to peer around the imposing figure to get a look at his big brother. He momentarily forgot that the man he called his father was standing right of him. He looked up at him defiantly. The older man only looked down in silence. That defiance began to slowly crumble away.

 

“Are you deaf?”

 

The deep voice startled him.

 

“A-Am I-”

 

“Maybe I did hit you too hard all those years ago… Or maybe you deliberately chose to not listen to me.”

 

Kyuhyun racked his brain trying to figure out what his father was talking about.

 

“You were in the room during the conference call with GD from the Keun family, were you not? You heard us make the agreement, did you not?”

 

“I…”

 

His father took a step closer.

 

“So, let me ask you again. Are you deaf?”

 

Kyuhyun felt his breathing pick up. No matter how confident or defiant he felt going into the room, his father always found a way to instantly break him down piece by piece.

 

“No, I-”

 

“So you’re saying you knew about the agreement and yet you still went out and pushed drugs  where the two biggest families in city deemed to be a drug-free area?”

 

Kyuhyun took a step back with every step that his father took towards him.

 

“I was trying to bring in more money… f-for you. I thought with everything going on with the trial…”

 

“You thought it was a good idea to break our arrangement with our strongest and most capable rival to bring in what? Maybe a couple hundred thousand? You think that kind of money would even begin to cover what our best client brings us in a year?”

 

Kyuhyun felt about two feet tall in that moment. What was he thinking? Hujin stared down at his youngest son for a few more moments before turning and kneeling down beside his older son. Heechul had finally managed to even out his breathing, but there was now angry bruising around his throat. His breaths were shallow and raspy and his left eye was now swollen and dark from being almost knocked unconscious by his father. The older man pulled the blonde by his shoulder so that he was lying on his stomach. Heechul had no energy to resist, but even still Hujin held both of his son’s thin arms behind him and took a roll of duct tape from his pocket. He wrapped the heavy tape around Heechul’s wrists several times before breaking it. He turned his son around and covered his mouth with the ultra strong tape. He stood up and stepped away from him, walking towards the corner.

 

Kyuhyun saw his brother’s hands tied behind him and thought it was absolutely pointless. Heechul would never be able to stop his father from doing anything to him. But why did he tape his mouth shut? Hujin returned to Heechul’s side holding a bag. It was like one you would bring to the gym with you. He dropped the bag beside the blonde and opened the zip on the top before standing back up and looking back to his youngest son.

 

“Do you even know the effects cocaine has on a person?”

 

“N-No.”

 

Kyuhyun really hadn’t given his plan much thought. He was just thinking of the money and making his father happy. Hujin glanced down at Heechul and thought for a moment. After a few seconds of silence the older man reached down and grabbed his son by his blonde hair and dragged him so that he was kneeling in front of him, facing Kyuhyun.

 

Without another word, he shoved Heechul face first into the bag. Kyuhyun saw a puff of white burst from the opening. Hujin rested his foot and the back of Heechul’s blonde head, forcing him to inhale the white powder up through his nose. Kyuhyun watched his brother struggle to escape, but with his hands tied and his father’s heavy boot keeping him roughly in place, it was impossible.

 

“This is the bag of cocaine that was taken from a gang in our territory. Only a mile from here.”

 

Kyuhyun stared down at Heechul writhing, suffocating in the exact drug that he had brought into the dark basement by his carelessness.

 

“S-Sir. He can’t breathe. Stop! Hurt me instead. Please!”

 

Kyuhyun only called his father 'sir' very rarely, but seeing what he was doing to his brother it was an unconscious plea. Hujin eventually removed his foot from Heechul’s head and grabbed his hair, pulling him back and letting him fall on the cold, hard ground, gasping for breath through his blocked nose. The white powder dusted the ground all around him. The older man turned back to Kyuhyun.

 

“Come here.”

 

Kyuhyun hesitantly made his way over to his father, stopping about a foot away from him.

 

“You have a press conference tomorrow, am I correct?”

 

He nodded.

 

“Yes.”

 

Suddenly he felt a harsh impact against his stomach, instantly causing him to crumple to the ground.

 

“Then I won’t touch your face.”

 

Hujin proceeded to kick his youngest son in the stomach repeatedly, all the while screaming at how much of a fuck up he was and how he caused his brother to be hurt all the time. Kyuhyun couldn’t do anything to stop the barrage of abuse coming from his father’s foot and mouth. Eventually the attack stopped and he was suddenly grabbed by the collar. Hujin pulled him up and looked him dead in the eyes.

 

“Now, see the effect of the drug you seemed so willing to push on the kids in this city and think again before you do something so idiotic. By the end of the week this whole bag will be empty.”

 

He was thrown violently to the ground beside his brother and the horrible presence left the basement, cursing all the way up the stairs. He clutched his stomach and coughed at the impact of hitting the hard concrete. He looked down to see blood spattered below him, groaning and turning to the other side. Heechul was right beside him on the floor. His face was covered in cocaine and speckles of the white powder decorated his hair and body, even down to his black pants. He didn’t look right. He was groaning through the tape that still covered his mouth and he couldn’t seem to keep his head in place. Kyuhyun crawled to his side and gently took the tape away from his mouth. The groaning didn’t get any clearer. The younger man reached up and lifted one of his brother’s eyelids. His pupils were fully dilated and his eyes were totally unfocused on anything. He looked down at the blonde’s chest and saw that it was rising and falling much faster than usual. He placed his hand on Heechul’s chest and felt his racing heartbeat.

 

“Chullie. Hey...”

 

It was no use. His brother was out of it.

 

“Fuck…”

 

Kyuhyun fought through the pain in his abdomen to reach into his pocket and take out his phone. He dialled his brother’s number.

 

“Kyu! What happened? Are you okay? How is he?”

 

He was bombarded with questions that the pain in his stomach was preventing him from concentrating on. That, and the fact that his brother was lying beside him out of his mind on cocaine.

 

“I-I’m fine, Teuk.”

 

He did his best to mask his pain.

 

“And Heechul?”

 

His little brother’s hesitation instantly told him it wasn’t good.

 

“Kyu?”

 

“H-He’s fucked up… He… Father forced him to take…”

 

“What? Kyu, what did he do?”

 

“The bag of cocaine they found…”

 

“Oh, fuck…”

 

Kyuhyun looked down when he felt Heechul turn into his lap, his groaning sounding more desperate and his breathing seemed to be picking up.

 

“Please, hyung. Hurry. I d-don’t know what to do. He’s…”

 

Leeteuk heard Heechul’s moans through the phone.

 

“I’ll be right there! Just stay with him!”

 

Kyuhyun threw his phone on the ground and took Heechul’s white head in his lap. He bent forward no matter how much it hurt and hugged his drugged up brother close, not daring to let go. He felt the dampness and heat radiating from Heechul and felt how he trembled. He caressed his hair and whispered to him.

 

“I’m so sorry, Chullie. Just hold on. It’ll go away. Just… just…”

 

That was the moment that the youngest brother broke. The weight of his poor decisions and rash actions all bore down on him at once. Tears flowed from his eyes and he sobbed against his big brother’s bruised and hazy head. He let everything out, and just waited for their oldest brother to arrive and help him.

 

To help both of them.


	9. A Warm Conversation

Part 1

Chapter 9

A Warm Conversation

 

Seunghyun returned to the office first thing the next morning. He had told Jiyong everything that Shindong told him and that Kyuhyun had broke the agreement. At first, the smaller man was furious, but he eventually calmed down when his friend told him that Hujin was on his way back with only one thing on his mind. Jiyong couldn’t let this continue for much longer. His conscience was wearing thin. He hadn’t met the man yet, but Seunghyun’s updates were detailed and the pictures were telling him so much. But no matter how much he wanted to barge in there and gun down everyone that stood between him and that basement, the Hujin gang was larger and stronger. For now. That’s what Jiyong kept telling himself like a mantra.

 

As Seunghyun entered the Hujin complex, the air was thick with an intense silence. Word had gotten out about the drugs and the entire staff in that building were walking on eggshells. Nobody went within a fifty foot radius of the CEO’s office and that was exactly where he was headed. He eventually made it to the familiar door, but before he could attempt to open it a voice came from the left, from the dead end corridor where he had slept before.

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

He whipped around and saw three figures. One was sitting on the ground while the other two were standing.

 

“Leeteuk?”

 

“Don’t go in there.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

Nobody said anything so Seunghyun approached the shadows to see that Kyuhyun was the one sitting on the ground with his head in his hands. Shindong was standing behind Leeteuk who had knelt down beside his brother with his hand on his shoulder.

 

“What happened last night?”

 

The oldest man sighed.

 

“A mistake was made. And, as usual, he took it out on Heechul.”

 

“This is about the drugs, right?”

 

Kyuhyun’s head shot up as he stared up at the man in surprise.

 

“I rang him last night to warn him.”

 

Shindong explained.

 

“He overheard you arguing.”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“I see…”

 

He stood up and straightened his suit jacket.

 

“We have a press conference in a little over an hour. With this whole drug scandal happening in the ‘Hujin Family Children’s Park’, everybody no doubt has some questions. And with the trial coming to an end… It’s going to be a circus out there.”

 

“What about GD?”

 

The younger brother asked from his position on the floor.

 

“Father is going to call the Keun office to see if he can arrange a meeting for us tonight.”

 

“Us?”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“He said he will be busy.”

 

They all knew what that meant.

 

“I’ll stay here tonight. I’ll try to help as much as I can.”

 

Seunghyun suggested.

 

“He wants you to come with us to meet GD.”

 

“What? Why? With all due respect, I’m Hujin’s assistant, not yours.”

 

Leeteuk smiled.

 

“I know. I told him the same thing, but he insisted, Seunghyun.”

 

The older man looked at his watch.

 

“We better get going, Kyu.”

 

The younger brother sighed before holding his hands up towards Leeteuk. He took them and pulled the smaller man up. Kyuhyun groaned and once his hands were free he clutched his stomach. The pain from last night was certainly making it’s presence felt.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Seunghyun instinctively asked.

 

Leeteuk reached forward and slowly lifted his little brother’s shirt. Usually Kyuhyun would be furious, but he was too distracted from the pain.

 

“Heechul wasn’t the only one this time.”

 

Seunghyun took in the sight of the angry bruising on the younger man’s stomach. He was eventually brought out of his staring by the shirt falling back down and being tucked in.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be.”

 

Kyuhyun finally spoke as he straightened out his black suit. Leeteuk dabbed the sweat from his brother’s face.

 

“It was my fuck up. I deserved it. Heechul didn’t. He doesn’t.”

 

Seeing where his mind was going, Leeteuk spoke up.

 

“Hey, come on. Focus on the press conference for now.”

 

Kyuhyun nodded and made his way down the corridor followed by his big brother. Shindong stopped in front of Seunghyun and looked at the door to Hujin’s office for a moment.

 

“You should come with us. If you go in there it will only be worse for him.”

 

Seunghyun thought hard for a moment before closing his eyes and sighing.

 

“You’re right.”

 

“Let’s go.”

 

 

 

The press conference went well considering. Leeteuk did most of the talking, explaining that the drugs found in the park would be a one time occurance and that his father would ensure extra security be put in place in order for the park to be safe for children and families. The press also asked about the trial and the fact that the verdict was most likely going to be reached within the next few days. Leeteuk simply said that they would deal with the outcome when it came and that right now, every resource was being used to aid the investigation and the police. Seunghyun was standing up on the podium a few feet behind the brothers. He could be seen on tv and every so often he would feel his pocket vibrate with a text from Jiyong telling him to smile more or that he was sweating too much. The assistant had to stop himself from chuckling as he knew he was being caught by the camera.

 

It was almost 7pm by the time the press conference was over. Leeteuk, Kyuhyun, Shindong and Seunghyun got into the black SUV together and began to head back to the compound. Leeteuk received a text and read the words on his screen.

 

“Okay. The meeting is set for 10:30pm.”

 

He told the others.

 

“Where?”

 

Kyuhyun asked. Leeteuk read more of the message.

 

“Apparently father has invited GD to the complex.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

The younger brother questioned.

 

“Is that such a good idea, Leeteuk?”

 

Shindong was even a bit apprehensive.

 

Leeteuk placed his hand on his lap and thought for a moment.

 

“It’ll be fine. GD has never given us a reason not to trust him.”

 

“Yet.”

 

Kyuhyun added before resting his head back against the seat. His voice sounded rough and weak. His older brother turned to him and saw the sheen of sweat on his forehead.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

The younger man swallowed and closed his eyes, visibly strained.

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“You should rest before the meeting.”

 

Shindong advised with concern etched on his face. Kyuhyun only nodded in reply. Seunghyun saw the bond that had formed between the three men. Sure, Shindong was the brother’s assistant, but he was also their friend. In this moment the very idea that these men were involved in running an illegal business seemed crazy. Kyuhyun’s head was now resting on his big brother’s shoulder. Leeteuk had his arm wrapped around the smaller man’s waist and Shindong had his hand on his knee. This was the most human he had seen them since he had met them. The sight made his mind drift to his own best friend and the closest thing to family he had. As if his thoughts could be heard, he felt his pocket vibrate. He took out his phone to see a message.

 

‘JI: See you tonight ;-)

 

 

 

The hours leading up to the meeting felt tense. Kyuhyun did as Shindong had suggested and collapsed on the couch, letting himself drift straight to sleep. The assistant had gone to the meeting room to prepare for GD’s arrival. Leaving Leeteuk and Seunghyun to sit next to the fireplace in the lounge, each with a glass of scotch.

 

There was a heavy silence in the room. Both men had a million things running through their minds, but Seunghyun had focused on the reason why Hujin wasn’t going to be present at the meeting.

 

“Do you think Heechul is okay?”

 

Leeteuk looked up from the dancing flames that he been staring at for the last few minutes when the silence was broken. He took a slow sip from his drink.

 

“Honestly, I don’t know. Nobody has seen my father leave his office since this morning.”

 

“Shit.”

 

Came Seunghyun’s reply. He felt so powerless.

 

“I suspect he’ll ease up when he sees that the press conference went well. And if the meeting has a similar result I think it will be okay to see him tomorrow.”

 

“Good.”

 

Both men drank from their glasses.

 

“Seunghyun, what do you know about GD?”

 

The assistant almost choked on the alcohol still making it’s way down his throat. He coughed and managed to even his breathing.

 

“Well, I guess about as much as you."

 

He lied before continuing.

 

"He’s next in line to be head of the Keun Family, but he handles most of the families illegal activities.”

 

“What do you think of him?”

 

Leeteuk asked, genuinely interested.

 

Seunghyun thought silently for a moment. What did he think of his best friend?

 

“Well, he’s smart and charismatic and from what I’ve heard about the way YG treats his employees, especially Ji- D…”

 

He almost slipped up.

 

“He’s tough.”

 

Leeteuk contemplated what the other man had said and nodded.

 

“I agree. I’ve had a team look into the way the Keun Family operates. To get to where he is today GD would have had to endure a lot. In some ways, I guess YG reminds me of my father…”

 

That thought had crossed Seunghyun’s mind before. Although they were quite different circumstances, the way Hujin treats Heechul isn’t so far removed from the way YG treated Jiyong. Although he had eased up almost completely now that Jiyong was the leader in the public’s eyes. But Seunghyun still remembered the times that he was there to witness the horrible things that were done to his best friend, including the time when his skull was cracked open, the moment that started Jiyong’s life long struggle with excruciating headaches.

 

“Yeah. I can see that…. Leeteuk, can I ask you something?”

 

The Hujin brother nodded and smiled.

 

“Do you like your father?”

 

Leeteuk shifted his gaze into the still crackling fire and took another long sip of the alcohol that he become so familiar with. Seunghyun saw how his question had affected the other man.

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

 

“No, it’s alright.”

 

He waved his delicate hand and sat back in the chair.

 

“I did like him, but honestly I can’t remember when that was. I guess as soon as what he was doing to Heechul began to not make sense to me and Kyu. Every time we went down to play with Chullie and saw that he had a black eye or that there was a cut on his face it would always be explained away as him misbehaving. But then one time he came down into the basement. He was furious and went straight for Kyu.”

 

He glanced over to the sleeping man a few feet away from them.

 

“He hit him so hard that he lost the hearing in his left ear. It was the first time he hadn’t hit Heechul and it was also the only time he ever looked like he regretted anything that he had done.”

 

Seunghyun saw the sadness in the man’s face as he spoke.

 

“After that, he always locked the door whenever he went down into the basement. And still he always made sure we were the ones to take care of Heechul after he was done with him. I always saw it as a way of keeping us ‘in line.’ Especially Kyu. His temper has gotten Chullie hurt so many times. Some of them I’ve even had to hide from him because he always feels so guilty.”

 

The assistant wasn’t expecting his question to garner such a heartfelt response.

 

“And then there’s what he actually does to Heechul. How can somebody do this to another human being, Seunghyun? How can somebody do this to their own son?”

 

A tear fell from his eye as he poured his heart out to the man he was being deceived by. Seunghyun felt his chest tighten. Leeteuk eventually looked up at the other man.

 

“How could I like somebody like that? Even if he is my father…”

 

“I’m sorry, Leeteuk.”

 

Leeteuk suddenly wiped his cheek with his thumb and sniffed to compose himself, a very elegant gesture.

 

“Don’t be. One day he’ll get what he deserves.”

 

Just then, the figure on the couch started to stir. Both men stood up and made their way over to him.

 

“Kyu, are you okay?”

 

The still groggy brother sat up slowly, but stopped when he felt a deep pain shoot through his abdomen.

 

“Easy.”

 

Seunghyun advised, leaning forward and taking the boy’s arm to help him sit up. Kyuhyun was comfortable enough with Seunghyun at this stage that he didn’t mind if he touched him. Seunghyun silently began to think about what Jiyong had told him about him being related to this boy and suddenly he cared a little more about him. If he was any relation to Jiyong then he mattered. Even if he didn’t really know him yet.

 

They both eventually got Kyuhyun up into a seated position. He sighed deeply.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“How do you feel?”

 

Leeteuk asked as he sat next to his little brother.

 

“It hurts like a bitch, but I can deal with it.”

 

“What you did for Chullie, thank you Kyu.”

 

The older man smiled at him causing him to nod and smile back.

 

“Any word?”

 

“Nothing yet.”

 

Leeteuk frowned. The three men just sat in silence for a moment before the door to the lounge opened and Shindong walked through.

 

“The meeting room is ready. GD is on his way.”

 

“Okay. Thanks, Shin.”

 

Leeteuk said before helping Kyuhyun up with Seunghyun.

 

“Alright. Let’s get ready.”


	10. The Meeting

Part 1

Chapter 10

The Meeting

 

 

“So GD is on the way, huh?”

 

Eunhyuk leaned up against the wall of the kitchen. Donghae looked at his watch.

 

“Yeah. Should be here any minute.”

 

“I heard he’s coming alone.”

 

“Really? Isn’t that a little irresponsible? Wreckless?”

 

Siwon lamented as be poured himself a glass of water.

 

“I think it’s impressive.”

 

Yesung added as he sat at the counter and cleaned his favourite gun, piece by piece.

 

“You don’t think it’s arrogant?”

 

Siwon questioned his friend.

 

“Confident. Not arrogant.”

 

Yesung replied, not looking up from his weapon.

 

“I agree.”

 

Donghae added as he sat up on the counter next to Yesung, swinging his legs playfully.

 

“I heard he once killed a guy just with his shoe… and then made his wife pay to get it cleaned after.”

 

“Oh, come on. You don’t honestly believe that, do you?”

 

The doctor really didn’t know why these people were his friends sometimes. They laughed together at the driver’s story and stopped when they heard something coming from outside the kitchen. Before any of them could make a move to head out and see, they saw a figure walk past the doorway. It was Shindong. A few seconds later another figure followed behind. As he passed, he turned and glanced into the kitchen before he disappeared from view. Like an old story. Donghae immediately jumped from the counter and scrambled over to the doorway.

 

“Was that him?”

 

Eunhyuk followed his friend and peered over his shoulder. They watched both men get smaller as they walked further away and eventually rounded the corner towards the meeting room.

 

“He really did come alone.”

 

Siwon stated.

 

Eunhyuk and Donghae re-emerged from around the door frame.

 

“He’s smaller than I thought he’d be.”

 

The martial artist voiced his observation to the others.

 

“Nice face too.”

 

Everybody looked at Donghae causing him to look around the room innocently.

 

“What?”

 

 

 

The meeting room was quiet. There were armchairs seated around a low coffee table. Usually, the room was set up to accommodate the type of meeting that would take place. As this meeting wouldn’t be overly formal with the exchanging of documents, a conference table was not needed. The chairs were placed near a big fire place to keep the atmosphere cosy and intimate. As these men had never met before and because they wanted to make a good impression, it was set up like this.

 

Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Seunghyun sat in the three chairs facing the door having set out the table with some water, coffee, some alcohol and even some cigarettes. Seunghyun knew that Jiyong wasn’t really a big drinker as he placed the various bottles on the table, but he carried out the task silently. He was a little nervous. It was going to be strange.

 

The door opened and Shindong walked in with a polite smile. He opened the door wider and held it open for GD to follow in behind him. Instantly his presence seeped into the room and made it’s way into every corner. The man stood there in a crisp black suit. He wore silver earrings and numerous rings on each hand. The top few buttons of his black shirt were unbuttoned, revealing a silver chain, his sharp collar bones and hits of the tattoo wrapped around his neck. His black hair was styled neatly and his piercing yet delicate features scanned the figures now standing from their chairs, although he softened a little when he saw the familiar face.

 

He stepped forward and approached the brothers, bending his delicate from forward and bowing to them politely. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun mirrored his movement, the older man smiling at him and holding out his hand.

 

“Welcome to the Hujin Compound. I’m Leeteuk and this is my brother, Kyuhyun. It’s good to finally meet you in person.”

 

The smaller man took his hand, shaking it before turning to the other family member and greeting him also. He looked at Kyuhyun and thought of how strange it felt to be shaking his brother’s hand for the first time only now.

 

“You can call me Jiyong. Please thank Hujin for the invitation.”

 

The young man spoke through gritted teeth as paying the brother’s father any kindness felt like betraying his own family.

 

Leeteuk bowed once more.

 

“I’ll be sure to send him your regards. He apologises that he can’t be here to meet you in person, but he had a prior engagement.”

 

The brother could feel a lump in his throat as the truth behind what he said sank into his chest. He turned to the man beside him.

 

“He sent his assistant, Seunghyun in his place.”

 

Jiyong looked up at the tall man and smiled. He reached out his hand and gave his friend a knowing look.

 

“Nice to meet you, Seunghyun.”

 

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

 

Those words felt alien to Seunghyun as he took the smaller man’s delicate hand in his, savouring the familiar touch although noting that it felt quite warm.

 

“You’ve already met Shindong so why don’t we begin?”

 

The men sat next to the fire. Shindong sat next to Jiyong and leaned forward to the table.

 

“Can I offer you anything? Coffee? Wine? Whiskey?”

 

“Just water. Thank you.”

 

Seunghyun knew it and he secretly smiled to himself.

 

“I admire you waving expectations and coming unaccompanied, Jiyong. Quite frankly I thought you would have a full entourage with you today.”

 

Leeteuk spoke as he took a sip from his previously poured glass of whiskey. The Keun Family boss waved his hand dismissively.

 

“What would be the point? More people just means more tension.”

 

The older brother appreciated Jiyong’s honesty and admired his outlook.

 

“That is true. But you can never be too careful.”

 

He honestly didn’t mean to, but his words made the others glance at him. Seunghyun saw his friend’s eyebrow raise slightly.

 

“Should I be?”

 

Leeteuk realised what his words might have sounded like.

 

“No, I apologise. I didn’t mean that as a threat.”

 

Kyuhyun took this opportunity to speak up.

 

“It was my fuck up.”

 

Jiyong glanced at the younger man’s direct words.

 

“You have no reason to think that we will try anything. We should be the ones concerned about protection. You and our father had an agreement and I was the one who chose to ignore it. You would have every right to retaliate.”

 

Jiyong momentarily glanced to Seunghyun before taking a sip of water.

 

“I acted rashly and without thinking and for that I apologise, Jiyong. The last thing I wanted was to create tension between our families. So please, what can I do to repair the damage that my actions have caused?”

 

Leeteuk, Shindong and Seunghyun were taken aback by the younger man’s mature and self aware apology. Jiyong blinked slowly before reaching into his breast pocket and taking out a black handkerchief. He brought it up to his face and dabbed the fabric against his forehead. He looked back up at the man sitting across from him, still holding the cloth in his hand.

 

“You can tell me the reason.”

 

Kyuhyun looked to his brother beside him for a moment before beginning to explain his warped reasoning at the time. As the delicate man listened to the explanation, Seunghyun noticed how his friend was behaving. He saw the slight sheen to Jiyong’s face from the sweat that had begun to form on his skin. He saw how his eyebrows seemed slightly arched, indicating that he was strained. And he saw how tight his friend was holding his handkerchief. Something wasn’t right with him. Seunghyun’s thoughts set off, but he was honed back in when he heard Jiyong begin to speak.

 

“So you wanted to alleviate some of the pressure from Hujin.”

 

“Yes, with the trial going on I thought I could bring in some extra money, maybe even distract him, but obviously it didn’t go as planned.”

 

Jiyong appreciated the younger brother’s honesty. Just then, Leeteuk’s phone sounded and patted his shirt pocket. He looked at the screen.

 

“I’m sorry, I have to take this.”

 

Jiyong just nodded, bringing his hand up to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. Kyuhyun and Shindong hadn’t noticed as the younger man was lighting a cigarette and the assistant was refilling everybody’s glasses. But Seunghyun noticed and he knew that his friend was experiencing another headache right now and by the looks of it, it was a bad one.

 

Leeteuk then hung up his phone and looked around the room.

 

“The verdict came in. Guilty.”

 

Each man felt their heart’s sink, neither knowing that it was all for the exact same reason. Heechul. This could be very dangerous for him. More than ever before, considering the state that he was already in. Jiyong eventually straightened up and wiped his brow again.

 

“I’m sorry to hear. I know he was a big client.”

 

“Our biggest…”

 

Leeteuk confirmed. Seunghyun could see the conflict on his friend’s face. On one hand, he was glad because it meant for a very big decline in his competition’s strength, but on the other it meant that Hujin would be furious. Jiyong began to visibly shift in his seat. The tall man suspected it was more due to the pain his friend was feeling in his head.

 

“What will you do?”

 

Jiyong asked, trying to keep his brain focused on something else, but sweat was beginning to drip down his temple where a few strands of his previously immaculate hair were now hanging loose. Leeteuk leaned back in the chair and tapped his phone on his knee.

 

“I don’t know… I suspect by now our father knows.”

 

Kyuhyun looked at his brother before letting out a sigh and rubbing a hand through his hair.

 

“He will have set some plans in place so we will wait for his word.”

 

There was a silence as each man thought about what those words meant. Jiyong leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, his head falling forward into his waiting hands. Kyuhyun watched the way the man sitting across from him moved. 

 

The dragon was then still. He just remained in his own hands. The silence caused Leeteuk to notice and lean forward to get a closer look at his rival.

 

“Jiyong?”

 

Hearing his name caused the man to slowly lift his head up. He opened his eyes and looked at Leeteuk through heavy eyes. He still didn’t say anything. He didn’t seem completely there. Seunghyun was getting worried. His friend seemed heavily distracted. He hadn’t acted like this in years. He glanced over at Shindong who cautiously reached his hand forward and touched Jiyong’s arm.

 

“Jiyong, sir are you alright?”

 

The touch seemed to bring the pained man back around. He turned his head slightly towards the man who was touching him. Shindong felt part of his soul leave leave his body as those piercing eyes looked right into his own. The assistant saw the pain behind those feline eyes. He instantly felt a strong instinct to know more about this man as he watched his brows knit together and a sheen of dampness form in his dark orbs. But no tears fell, instead he spoke.

 

“Forget about the cocaine. You have bigger things to worry about now.”

 

He turned to face the brothers. Seunghyun could see how pale his friend was now.

 

“Thank you. That is very gracious of you, Jiyong. I would like to take this opportunity to express our enthusiasm to work with you further.”

 

“Even if that means going around our father.”

 

Leeteuk looked at his younger brother before returning his gaze to the Keun family boss.

 

“Yes. To save him further… stress. We wish to take the burden from our father.”

 

Everybody knew what he really meant. To decrease the frequency of Hujin attacking Heechul.

 

Jiyong only nodded, looking completely exhausted. Seunghyun wanted more than anything to reach across and hug his friend close, but he knew he could not do that. He heard a small gasp come from the smaller man’s lips before Jiyong moved to stand up.

 

“F-Forgive me, but I need to leave.”

 

The brothers and the two assistants stood up immediately. Leeteuk reached forward when he saw Jiyong sway slightly.

 

“Do you need Shindong to drive you back?”

 

Jiyong’s hand was now held against his own piping hot forehead.

 

“N-No, thank you. I have someone waiting outside.”

 

Taeyang had driven his boss to the meeting and argued with Jiyong when he was told to wait with the car. Leeteuk reached out his hand once more. Jiyong took it in a more weakened grip than the first time before repeating the gesture with Kyuhyun. Both brothers instantly felt how warm the smaller man’s hand was.

 

“Thank you for meeting with us. I’ll be in contact personally to arrange any further business opportunities with you.”

 

“You have my apologies once again, Jiyong.”

 

Kyuhyun added.

 

Jiyong bowed slightly and turned to leave, making brief eye contact with Seunghyun as he did so. The look was tired and painful. Shindong followed the small man through the door as he made his exit. The door closed and Kyuhyun let out a long sigh.

 

“That went better than I thought.”

 

Leeteuk continued to look at the door.

 

“He seemed unwell… And I expected him to be, I don’t know… more upset?”

 

Seunghyun’s chest was getting heavier by the moment. He had never seen Jiyong that bad before. He needed to help his best friend.

 

“May I be excused for a few hours?”

 

“Sure, Seunghyun. Is everything okay?”

 

The assistant took out his phone to see a message from Taeyang.

 

‘YB: what the hell happened in there?? hescreaming in the back seat!!’

 

He read the hastily typed message from Jiyong’s right hand.

 

“I don’t know…”

 

With that, Seunghyun made a break for the door, bumping into Shindong who was just entering again.

 

“I’ll come back in the morning!”

 

They heard the tall man yell as he disappeared. Shindong looked behind him before joining the brothers once again.

 

“Is Jiyong alright, Shin?”

 

“All he said was that he had a headache.”

 

Kyuhyun looked at his big brother.

 

“That’s one strong headache.”

 

There was a tone of concern in his voice despite this being the first time to have met G-Dragon.

 

“Look, the meeting went well. For the moment, our business with GD and the Keun family is okay. We need to focus right now.”

 

Shindong informed the brothers causing Leeteuk to reach and pour himself another drink.

 

“I know. As Jiyong said himself, the verdict is in. Father will no doubt-”

 

“Leeteuk, that’s what I want to tell you. Hujin passed me on the way back here. He left.”

 

Leeteuk dropped his glass back on the table.

 

“He left?”

 

Shindong nodded hurriedly.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Kyuhyun turned to the door.

 

“Heechul…”

 

Without another word, the three men took off towards Hujin’s office.


	11. Rest Together (Part 1 End)

Part 1 Finale

Chapter 11

Rest Together

 

 

Seunghyun must have broken every traffic violation there was on the way back to the Keun Family building on the other side of town. He actually managed to catch up so that he was just able to see Taeyang carrying Jiyong in through the back entrance. He ran as fast as he could in after them.

 

“Youngbae! I’m here!”

 

Taeyang was holding Jiyong’s arm around his shoulder and was dragging him down the hallway towards the lounge area, not too different from the one in the Hujin building. He glanced behind him momentarily before adjusting his grip on his groaning friend.

 

“Seunghyun! Get the door!”

 

The taller man ran ahead and swung open the door. As Taeyang stumbled through, he lost his grip and Jiyong began to crumple to the ground. In an effort to save him from falling, he grasped at his boss’s jacket only for the buttons to snap, leaving him only holding the black suit jacket and Jiyong lying on the cold marble floor.

 

“Ji!”

 

Seunghyun was instantly by his side. Jiyong curled up into a ball with his palms pressed hard against his forehead. Sweat soaked through his thin black shirt and he was visibly shaking. Taeyang threw the jacket to the floor and knelt on the other side of his boss.

 

“Ji! Ji!”

 

He reached down to take hold of him, but Jiyong only reacted by violently swinging his arm out. He wasn’t even entirely sure who was next to him, but he didn’t want to be touched. He screamed as the stabbing inside his head became harder and more difficult to bear. Seunghyun and Taeyang were panicking. Suddenly Taeyang stood up and ran from the room.

 

“I’m going to get Dae!”

 

Seunghyun heard the voice of his friend disappear down the corridor. He looked back down at Jiyong who was writhing on the ground, no longer trying to hide his pain. His moans were heartbreaking.

 

“Jiyong. Ji, please!”

 

It was clear that he wasn’t being heard. All he could do was watch the man he saw as his little brother experience the agony in his head. Jiyong then twisted onto his back and brought his hands down to his sides, clenching his fists tight and bringing one of his knees up quickly. Seunghyun brought his hand down and placed it over his friend’s roasting forehead. Jiyong’s damp, black hair fell over the larger man’s knuckles.

 

“Hey, it’s me.”

 

He panted, trying to control his breathing before opening his eyes slowly and doing his best to focus on the man above him.

 

“S-Seunghyun?”

 

“Yes! Jiyong, it’s me! I’ve got you.”

 

Seunghyun saw Jiyong reach up with one hand and take the taller man's away from his face. He gripped it tight and brought it back down to his side, not daring to let go. The assistant took in the image of his friend’s face. He faintly made out a tear falling down Jiyong’s cheek.

 

“I d-don’t understand. S-Seunghyun. It’s never been this bad b-before…”

 

“It’s okay, Ji. Just try to keep your breaths even. The others are on the way.”

 

Jiyong did as he was told and breathed through the pain until the door opened and Daesung ran in followed by Taeyang and Seungri. The medic immediately dropped down next to his boss and looked him up and down.

 

“Jiyong? Can you hear me?”

 

The man on the floor let out a tense breath before nodding. Daesung reached down and felt his damp face.

 

“Wow. He’s burning up.”

 

The medic immediately opened Jiyong’s soaked black shirt down to his stomach and placed a cold cloth on his chest.

 

“Jiyong, I need you to look at me.”

 

It took a moment, but Jiyong focused his shiny orbs up at Daesung.

 

“When did it start? How long ago?”

 

He tried his best to think through the sensation in his head, closing his eyes tight. Seeing that his friend was having difficulty answering, Seunghyun spoke up.

 

“Just after the meeting started he was shifting in his seat. He looked uncomfortable. That would have been a little over an hour ago.”

 

“I see…”

 

Daesung thought for a moment.

 

“What is it, Dae?”

 

Taeyang asked.

 

“Help me get him up.”

 

Without hesitation, the four men helped pick their friend up and lifted him over to the couch. They sat him down, his head leaning back against the chair back. Daesung took some medication out of his bag and held a glass of water in his hand.

 

“Here. Take these.”

 

There was no response. Seungri bent down and lightly patted Jiyong’s cheek.

 

“Hey, wake up Jiyong. Come on.”

 

It worked. The smaller man opened his eyes and saw the pills being held in front of him. He took them and leaned his head back as he swallowed the water. He savoured the feeling of the cool liquid falling down his throat. He let out a sigh and opened his eyes again, scanning the four people who were sitting around him; Seunghyun and Seungri on either side and Daesung and Taeyang on the floor in front of him. He hated appearing weak, even in front of his closest friends. But he was always grateful for them when he needed them most.

 

“Thank you. I’m sorry.”

 

Seunghyun placed his hand on his knee.

 

“Don’t apologise, Jiyong. This isn’t your fault.”

 

Taeyang crossed his arms and paced.

 

“Fucking Keun…”

 

“Bae, you know how it was.”

 

Jiyong sounded exhausted.

 

“That’s not good enough, Ji! There’s no excuse for what he did to you.”

 

“It wasn't just m-me…”

 

“He smacked us around, Jiyong. What he did to you was a hundred times worse.”

 

“Just say it like it is.”

 

Seunghyun looked up at Taeyang before turning down to Jiyong.

 

“It was child abuse, Ji. Plain and simple. These headaches are a direct result of what he did to you.”

 

The boss looked from Seunghyun down to the doctor who was kneeling between his shaking knees. Daesung simply frowned at Jiyong and nodded once. He let what his friends were telling him ring in his already scrambled brain before letting out a long sigh and leaning forward with his head in his hands.

 

“I know. I know…”

 

Seungri rubbed his hand up and down his boss’s bent back. He felt the damp heat radiating from the older man. Then there was just silence. It lasted a few moments before Seunghyun felt his pocket vibrate. He took out his phone and looked at the screen.

 

“Shit…”

 

Jiyong looked up to see Seunghyun holding his phone with the screen facing the others. It was a message from Leeteuk. It simply read:

 

‘9’

 

Jiyong felt his heart sink. He looked up into Seunghyun’s eyes and saw the conflict.

 

“Go.”

 

“No, Ji. I’m staying with you. I-”

 

“I’m not alone, Seunghyun.”

 

The taller man glanced at everyone before making his decision.

 

“Okay. I’ll message you as soon as I get there.”

 

Jiyong nodded as he watched Seunghyun run out of the room. He turned to face the others and saw the questioning looks on their faces. He gave a simple answer.

 

“Heechul.”

 

 

 

Seunghyun arrived back at the Hujin compound in record time. He burst through the office door to see Shindong trying desperately to calm Kyuhyun down.

 

“I’m going to fucking kill him!”

 

Kyuhyun was kicking chairs over and throwing anything he could see across the room. Shindong noticed Seunghyun standing in the room and gestured sadly down to the basement. Seunghyun nodded in reply and walked slowly down the dark stairs, dreading what he was going to find. When he eventually entered the cruelly cold room he saw Leeteuk on the floor with his head in his heads. He was crying. Seunghyun was almost too scared to step any closer and find out the reason why.

 

But he did.

 

His hand instantly rose to his mouth when he saw Heechul. He was almost unrecognisable. He lay on the ground beside his big brother absolutely taken apart. Seunghyun’s body automatically knelt for him when his mind felt like it had switched off. Now only inches from the blonde’s body he could see the full extent of the damage. Heechul’s face was a mass of bruises. His eyes were swollen shut and blood gushed from his nose, mouth and ear. There were angry dark bruises wrapped around his delicate neck and more purple discolouration all over his body; his ribs, his chest, his abdomen and his wrists. His ribs were crooked, definitely broken again. Tears fell from Seunghyun’s eyes the more he took in of the man below him. He saw a pair of scissors on the ground next to Leeteuk and a piece of stained wire clutched tightly in his shaking hand. He looked up at the wall to see a metal ring jutting out from one of the bricks and noticed that a lot of blood was pooled around the ground by that wall.

 

“I cut him down.”

 

Seunghyun turned to see Leeteuk holding up the wire and pointing at Heechul’s wrists. Seunghyun spun his head around to see a gym bag lying tipped over on the far side of the room. There was white powder spilled out of the opened flap.

 

“The cocaine…”

 

“It was half empty.”

 

Leeteuk explained.

 

“Jesus…”

 

Seunghyun turned back to the crying man and frowned through cloudy eyes.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“So am I.”

 

He turned behind him and slid a basin with water between the two of them. Just as he was going to reach for the cloth his phone buzzed. Leeteuk looked at the screen and blinked his tears away to make out what it said.

 

“It’s Shin. He says Kyu has gone after our father with a gun.”

 

“Oh, fuck…”

 

He looked up at Seunghyun.

 

The look on his face said a thousand words.

 

“Go, Leeteuk. I’ll take care of him.”

 

He could tell he really didn’t want to leave Heechul, but the consequences of what could happen if he didn’t interfere would be disastrous.

 

“Thank you, Seunghyun. Really.”

 

Leeteuk looked down at his little brother, wiped away his own tears and placed a kiss on the blonde's forehead before running out of the basement. Seunghyun wiped his damp cheeks and stood up to shed his jacket and roll up his shirt sleeves. He looked down at the man on the floor and took out his phone. He sent Jiyong a picture of Heechul’s condition and then without any more hesitation he joined the blonde on the floor again. He took the cloth from the warm water and went to work on delicately wiping away as much of the blood as possible. He worked carefully, but diligently, making sure he covered every crimson painted space on this beaten canvas. Once he figured that he had done as much as he could, he carefully brought the blonde close to him so that his head was laying in his lap and Seunghyun sat back against the cold wall. He held one hand gently on his shaky chest and with the other he slowly brushed his fingers through the white strands.

 

“He’s gone. Don’t worry. You’re safe now.”

 

He wasn’t even sure if Heechul could hear him, but he spoke slowly in an almost whisper, not wanting to disturb the weak figure he held in his arms. He looked down when he heard a sound. Heechul’s mouth parted slightly.

 

“Heechul?”

 

“S-S…”

 

“It’s me. It’s Seunghyun.”

 

The blonde man let out a small sigh, almost like he was relaxing a little once he knew whose arms he was in. His swollen eyes didn’t allow him to open them much, but he was able to open them just enough that he could make out the man above him. Once he could confirm the comfortable presence he closed them again. It was too difficult to keep them open. Seunghyun saw a tear fall down the beaten man’s cheek.

 

Just then, Seunghyun felt his phone vibrate. He looked at the I.D and answered.

 

“Jiyong. Are you okay?”

 

The other man ignored his question.

 

“Is he conscious?”

 

Seunghyun glanced down before answering.

 

“Barely.”

 

“Can you put the phone up to his ear please? I want to talk to him.”

 

“Okay.”

 

He carefully placed the phone against the ear that wasn’t bleeding minutes previous.

 

On the other end of the line, Jiyong lay on the hard, marble floor pressed against the wall with a cold towel resting on his forehead. He was still in a lot of pain, but it was manageable. As soon as he saw the image of Heechul his pain seemed to not matter to him anymore. He took a breath before speaking.

 

“Heechul. It’s Jiyong. I know you’re in pain and I know you’re finding it difficult to do anything right now, but I want you to fight through the haze in your head and listen to my voice.”

 

Seunghyun could hear his friends low voice coming through the speaker of the phone. He watched Heechul’s face soften slightly as he listened to the dragon's words for the first time.

 

“Seunghyun works for me. He is my friend. I trust him with my life and I trust him with yours.”

 

The assistant felt his eyes well up at what Jiyong was saying, but he could still hear the pain in his voice.

 

“We’re going to get you out of there, Heechul. I promise. I just need you to h-hang on a little longer. Can you do that for me?”

 

Seunghyun saw a tear makes it’s way down the blonde’s cheek.

 

“J-Jiyo…”

 

He tried so hard to form words, but it was so exhausting.

 

“Heechul, I promise you. I’ll take you away from that place and show you how beautiful the w-world can be. I just need you to be patient. Seunghyun will take care of you. Trust him and everything will be okay.”

 

Heechul peeled open his swollen eyes and looked up at the man who’s lap he was lying in. Seunghyun smiled down at him with tears in his eyes.

 

“Please… wait for me…”

 

Jiyong spoke. His best friend heard the pauses and could picture Jiyong on the other end of the line like he was when they first brought him back. Curled into a ball and writhing on the ground. It terrified him.

 

Heechul blinked slowly.

 

“I-I… will wa- wait…”

 

The blonde’s words trailed off and his head fell to the side as he passed out. Seunghyun brought the phone back up to his ear.

 

“Ji, he-”

 

He stopped when he heard a noise through the line.

 

Once Jiyong confirmed that Heechul had heard what he told him he let his hand fall to the floor, allowing the phone to bounce along the black marble as he too felt the pain consume him and he passed out.

 

Seunghyun silently thanked whoever was listening that both Heechul and Jiyong were able to rest from the onslaught of pain that had been unfairly inflicted on them their whole lives.

 

At least for now, even though they were far apart, they were able to rest together.

 

\----

 

End of Part 1

 

\---

 

Thank you for reading Part 1 of Save You. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. I will be editing Part 2 soon and will continue to post new chapters here so please stay tuned!


	12. Keun

Part 2

Chapter 1

Keun

 

 

1 Year Later

 

Almost one year had passed since everything had gotten a little crazy. The trial was a massive public spectacle. Hujin could no longer hide behind his sons, especially when one of them had tried to kill him. So he was forced to come out and face the press. Speculation and rumours spread that the whole experience had gotten to him. He had become even more erratic than ever before and the loss of revenue from the company’s biggest client caused him to become paranoid. He started asking Seunghyun to hand over his phone at the end of every day to check his outgoing messages and calls in case he was sending information to his rivals. He was, but luckily Seunghyun caught on and stopped sending Jiyong pictures or if he ever did he would delete them straight after. Jiyong was ready to release the photos that they already had right after he saw the state that Heechul was in when Seunghyun had recieved the message that it was a ‘9.’ But Seunghyun had heard Hujin say that if Heechul was ever discovered he would kill him and hide the evidence. He didn’t know if he really believed him, but he didn’t want to risk it.

 

Hujin had actually stopped coming to the complex as frequently as before. Nobody knew why, but it was so nice that they didn’t care. He wasn’t friendly to any of the staff in the building. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun didn’t even bother asking him. As long as it kept their brother from getting hurt it was okay with them. They would still recieve instructions from their father for the day to day business operations, but at this stage, the Keun family were now at the same level economically as Hujin.

 

Seunghyun wasn’t even told what to do in his boss’s absence. He was his assistant after all. He honestly didn’t mind. He just continued to look after Heechul, who himself was doing well. His rebroken bones had been allowed to heal uninterrupted this time around and he was spent time with daily; whether it be by his brothers, Seunghyun or by Jiyong on the phone.

 

This particular day, Seunghyun arrived in the office to see a box on Hujin’s desk. He looked down and saw that it was bleach. There was a scissors beside the box and a note underneath.

 

‘Dye and cut his hair. I want a picture after. H.’

 

Seunghyun looked at the box and read the instructions before grabbing the scissors and heading down to the basement. Heechul greeted him with a smile, looking up from his seated position on the mattress.

 

“Good morning, Seunghyun.”

 

The assistant approached him and smiled down before kneeling down in front of him and showing him the box. He reached up to run his hand through the now almost faded blonde locks as Heechul examined the writing and pictures on the box of dye.

 

“Your father wants me to cut and dye your hair.”

 

Heechul nodded slowly. Seunghyun stood and looked around the room for a moment. Then he stopped and put his hands on his hips as he thought. Heechul simply watched and waited.

 

“Okay, come on.”

 

“What?”

 

“We need to dye your hair.”

 

Heechul was puzzled.

 

“H-He just brings a bucket down and…”

 

“I’m not dying your hair in a bucket.”

 

The smaller man remained silent. Seunghyun sensed his apprehension and kneeled back down in front of him.

 

“Heechul, when was the last time your father came down here? Like five months ago?”

 

“I know, but what if he chooses today of all days to-”

 

“Then I’ll tell him I forced you.”

 

Heechul blinked slowly before looking sadly into the other man’s eyes.

 

“You know that won’t matter.”

 

There was a silence for a moment. Seunghyun nodded, agreeing with the other man. But he suddenly stood up and held out his hand.

 

“Come on, Heechul. Please.”

 

After a moment, he sighed and took the other man’s hand, allowing himself to be pulled up. Seunghyun helped Heechul up the stairs very slowly. As they got closer to the top and the light got brighter, Heechul had to shield his eyes as he wasn’t used to being out of the darkness. Seunghyun slid open the door and shut off the lights instantly, allowing Heechul to take his hand away from his face. He leaned away from the other man so that he could stand on his own. He looked around the room, taking in every edge and every curve of the furniture. He instantly hobbled over to the giant window behind his father’s desk and looked up at the grey clouds in the sky. Without looking away, he placed his palm against the glass. Seunghyun appeared beside him and watched the other man’s soft face react to what he was seeing. His child-like eyes were moist with unshed tears and his bottom lip hung from his mouth.

 

“How long has it been since you’ve seen the sky?”

 

He saw Heechul’s brows furrow as the emotion he was feeling became stronger.

 

“I-I… can’t remember.”

 

Seunghyun’s heart broke. This boy hadn’t been let out of that dark basement in years. He looked up into the angry, grey clouds and tried to see the beauty that the man beside him was seeing. Something he took for granted was seen as something so pure from somebody who had been deprived of it for so long. He brought up his hand to rest on Heechul’s bare shoulder and wordlessly moved across the spacious office and into the bathroom. He needed to turn on the light so that he could see what he was doing. He sat the smaller man down on the edge of the bath and began to mix the solution and apply it to his scalp. The process took about forty minutes before the colour was washed out and Seunghyun was able to make a start at cutting the locks that were able to touch Heechul’s nose. As he used the scissors to cut away the long strands he saw that Heechul was just staring ahead, as if he had shut off.

 

“Heechul.”

 

“Yes?”

 

The newly dyed blonde replied without shifting his gaze.

 

“How much do you know about your mother?”

 

He question had hit a nerve as the man visibly flinched at the words. His grip on the edge of the bath tightened and he shut his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

 

“It’s alright. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

 

Seunghyun snipped away some more strands.

 

“I only ever saw one picture of her. The same one that’s in my room. Leeteuk was only one when I was born so he never really knew her either. And Kyu of course has a different mother. So all I know about her is what my father tells me… And all he tells me is how I killed her…”

 

Seunghyun stopped cutting and leaned forward with his hands on his knees. He thought very hard about what he was about to do. He was so close to not going through with it and just continue cutting, but the sadness in the blonde’s eyes never faded from his mind.

 

“Heechul, I need to tell you something.”

 

The other man looked at him wordlessly.

 

“The surrogate that gave birth to Kyuhyun, his mother. Well, she…”

 

The blonde remained silent, just looking at Seunghyun as he hesitated.

 

“She’s Jiyong’s mother.”

 

Heechul blinked at him.

 

“What?”

 

“Your mother was Jiyong’s mother’s best friend and when she knew didn’t have much time left, she asked her to carry Kyuhyun for them. She even met you when you were just a baby.”

 

Heechul was shocked.

 

“S-Seunghyun, I don’t- I… Kyu never mentioned…”

 

“I’m not even sure he knows. Jiyong only found out last year when he went to visit his mother.”

 

The blonde didn’t know what to say.

 

“She told him that your father wouldn’t let her see Kyuhyun after she gave birth to him and that your mother died only three weeks later. That’s the last time she saw you.”

 

“So, Jiyong…”

 

“...is Kyuhyun’s half brother.”

 

Heechul blinked slowly, forgetting completely that he was in the process of getting his hair cut.

 

“I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot. I just wanted to tell you.”

 

“It’s… okay. I…”

 

He trailed off. Seunghyun could tell the other man was having a hard time processing what he was told.

 

“Jiyong wanted to tell you. He wanted to, just… I don’t know, seeing you today and the fact that I even have to do this…”

 

The taller man sighed as his words became jumbled the more frustrated he became.

 

“You should know your mother, Heechul. Who she really was. And now that we know that her best friend is so closely linked… there is hope.”

 

Heechul looked up through sad eyes and smiled. Seunghyun returned the smile before finishing cutting the white strands. He moved back allowing Heechul to look in the mirror.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

The blonde stared blankly into the reflective surface, unmoving. He hadn’t seen himself in years. Maybe about six year. His face hadn’t changed much. It was smooth, but worn down from years of abuse. His eyes were tired and his body looked weak.

 

“I couldn’t tell you.”

 

Seunghyun took this moment to survey the man. To truly take in every aspect of him. His pale body wasn’t hidden under heavy bruising. His hair wasn’t covering his emotionless face. He simply seemed tired. He sat down beside him on the edge of the bath.

 

“Did Jiyong ever tell you about his early days in the Keun family? About Keun himself?”

 

Heechul focused down at his own knees.

 

“He mentions it sometimes, but then always changes the subject. I know it wasn’t good for any of you.”

 

Seunghyun let out a puff of air in amusement.

 

“Typical. He’ll always downplay how it was. Especially for him.”

 

The assistant took a breath and picked up a loose strand of the blonde’s freshly cut hair that was resting on his knee. He began to twirl it between his thumb and finger.

 

“Keun was a cruel man. He still is, but his mind is deteriorating. That’s why he’s taken a step down now. But back then he was particularly violent and when it came to Jiyong, he was sadistic.”

 

Heechul was still looking down to the ground, but he was listening intently.

 

“Back in the day he would use his soldiers for everything. The men that would open doors for him and get him coffee were the same men who went out into the street to deal drugs or to rob a bank. There weren’t many of us. Only ten in the beginning. Myself, Jiyong and three others who are still with the family today. The other five couldn’t handle it. So Keun had them killed… Guess who he made do it…”

 

The blonde felt his grip on the edge of the tub tighten with every word that the other man spoke.

 

“One each, he told us. Ordered us. We were terrified. Imagine. Sixteen, seventeen years old. The first time you kill somebody and it’s your friend… Jiyong wouldn’t even let any of the rest of us fire a single bullet. He didn’t want their blood on our hands. So he looked those five kids in the eyes, apologised and blew them away... Keun was furious. ‘I gave you strict orders!’, he said…”

 

Heechul could feel the man tense beside him.

 

“We didn’t see Jiyong for three weeks after that.”

 

The blonde looked up at Seunghyun at this moment.

 

“And when he came back, he was different. He was quieter. He stopped smiling. He was like a ghost… Keun told the rest of us that his name was GD now. G-Dragon.”

 

“What happened to him, Seunghyun?”

 

After a quiet moment, Seunghyun turned to Heechul and looked down at him.

 

“He was tortured. Mercilessly, for three weeks straight. He never told us exactly what was done to him during that time, but we saw a lot more first hand.”

 

“W-What do you mean?”

 

“Well, Keun kept us together as a group. The five of us. He said we had a natural chemistry and were his most profitable soldiers. And for the next ten years we worked as a unit. But if something ever went wrong… If a shipment ever didn’t come through or if a soldier was killed, even if it wasn’t Ji’s fault, Keun would take it out on him. To set an example for the rest of us. Sure, he would smack us around, break a bone here and there. But he made Jiyong suffer... One time…”

 

Heechul saw Seunghyun gulp and tense his brow.

 

“Please, tell me.”

 

“One time, he made us watch him beat Jiyong unconscious with a metal pipe. He hit him so many times in the head that he was in a coma for four days afterwards. And he still gets headaches to this day… All because I was thirty minutes late to a meeting…”

 

Heechul watched the wave of guilt wash through the other man like a tsunami.

 

“It wasn’t your fault, Seunghyun. Keun is a sadistic psychopath… Like my father.”

 

Seunghyun looked directly into the blonde’s eyes.

 

“You remind me so much of Jiyong. The pain you’ve been forced to feel is something only the two of you can understand. That’s why it’s so important that we get you out of here.”

 

His mind was beginning to run away with him.

 

“Heechul, I can take you out of here today. I just need to distract the guards at the back exit and-”

 

The blonde saw where this was going.

 

“Seunghyun, stop. You know we can’t do that. Leeteuk and Kyu are too afraid of our father to let that happen. That’s why they haven’t tried it themselves. And as soon as you stop showing up my father would stop at nothing to find out where you came from. Sooner or later he’d link you back to Keun and back to Jiyong. And you don’t want to make an enemy of Hujin, Seunghyun. I’m the proof. You don’t want what happened to Jiyong to happen all over again.”

 

At this stage, Heechul was holding onto Seunghyun’s arm, afraid that he was actually going to put his hasty plan into action. The assistant eventually came to his senses.

 

“God, I’m sorry, Heechul. I don’t know what I was thinking. I…”

 

He stood up and bent over the sink, running cold water on his hands and smacking them lightly on his face. He stood up, but remained bent over the sink with his hands on either side. He looked at the blonde through the mirror.

 

“It just sometimes feels like we’re sitting by and watching you suffer.”

 

Heechul returned his gaze through the mirror.

 

“You’re doing a lot more than that. Without you and Jiyong I’d be alone down there. You’ve no idea how much the two of you have helped me since I’ve known you. You’ve given me real food. You’ve taught me to walk again… You’ve given me hope.”

 

Seunghyun smiled and turned to walk in front of the man still sitting on the bath. He placed his hands on his shoulders.

 

“It’s still not enough. Soon, Heechul. I promise we’ll get you out of here soon.”

 

Heechul nodded and watched Seunghyun take out his phone and point it down at him.

 

“Your father wants a picture.”

 

He captured the freeze frame of the boy’s newly dyed hair, before bringing the camera down to his waist. He stared down at the floor, not saying anything.

 

“Seunghyun… what is it?”

 

Seunghyun slowly lifted his eyes back up to gaze sadly into Heechul’s.

 

“Do you know how Jiyong ended up joining the Keun family?”

 

Heechul simply shook his head. Of course he didn’t know.

 

“Hujin killed his father. Jiyong was only thirteen…”

 

The blonde felt a sudden weight against his chest. He had no idea of the history between Jiyong and his father. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun either didn’t know or just simply never mentioned it.

 

“I-”

 

The dark haired man was instantly kneeling in front of the boy and grasping his hand.

 

“Heechul, promise me. Promise that you won’t-”

 

The smaller man interrupted by leaning forward a little.

 

“Seunghyun, I’m not going to die. I promise.”

 

Seunghyun looked him in the eye before letting out a long sigh and rubbing his hand through his own hair. In his own head, he hoped that Jiyong wouldn’t mind that he had just told Heechul a lot of sensitive and personal information, but he knew deep down that Heechul needed to hear it at that moment. And Jiyong needed him to hear it too.

 

 

 

Jiyong sat at his desk. He had a page in his hands and was staring down at the words, but no information was being taken in. Even though he had a whole team who dealt with legal matters and the aspects of the organisation that the public would be aware of, he did like to read through everything so that he could remain aware. He didn’t trust anyone besides those closest to him. He couldn’t recall how long he had been sitting there in his daze and he would have continued to stay like that had he not been interrupted by his watch beeping. It was 7pm. He silenced the noise, sighed and pushed himself up before making his way across the dimly lit room and through the long corridor. He sauntered with his hands in his pockets until he reached two guards.

 

“Sir.”

 

One of them greeted his boss who replied with a nod. The door was opened for him and he walked in. The room was dark, the only light coming through was from the evening sky through the window. Jiyong approached the opposite side of the room, towards the bed that rested there. The closer he got the more he made out the weak figure in the bed. He was thin and a lot older than him and there were tubes coming from his nose. He stopped next to the bed and just looked down at the dishevelled man. It was Keun.

 

“Jiyong.”

 

His voice was thin and strained. The younger man didn’t say anything, he just continued to watch his boss struggle to speak. After a few more moments he kneeled down to reach under the bed. He twisted the valve on the metal cannister and a hiss instantly rang out through the room. He brought the tube around and fixed it to a fresh cannister. He placed his hand on the valve, ready to twist it and release the air that the man above him was struggling so hard to breathe in every day. So many times he had contemplated just walking away and letting him suffocate, but his better judgement prevented him from going through with it. So he turned the valve and let the fresh air escape. Through the tube. He heard the man above him take a deep breath in relief. He knelt up slowly and turned to walk away, but was stopped when he felt a grip on the chain that hung around his neck. He was slowly pulled back towards the older man and looked directly down at him. Keun slowly reached up a shaky hand and placed it on the side of Jiyong’s head. He ran his thumb along the faint scar that crossed the younger man’s temple and disappeared into his soft, black hair.

 

“How are the headaches?”

 

Jiyong blinked slowly and when his eyes opened again, they were filled with rage.

 

“Take your hands off me.”

 

His voice was low and heavy and Keun felt proud, but also intimidated. So he did what he was asked, letting his weak grip on the younger man’s chain, removing his palm from his head before settling them in his lap.

 

“You know, boy. You remind me of myself when I was younger. That fire in your eyes is so familiar.”

 

Jiyong didn’t move or look away.

 

“You think everything I did to you was for fun? No, Jiyong. It only ignited that fire in you and now you’ve become the most powerful man in Seoul because of it. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be that niave kid running amateur scams in Gangnam. You should thank me.”

 

Jiyong had heard this lecture so many times before. Keun was losing his mind. He had been for the last four years, slowly deteriorating until he began to forget entire conversations. When Jiyong used to come in to refill his bosses air three years previous, he would actually engage in conversation. Sometimes he would even tell him how his headaches had been. But as time went on and as he became the new leader of the family he no longer feared this old man. He only went in, changed the air and left, having no interest in spending any more time in the same room with him then he had to.

 

When Jiyong was younger and more innocent, he always believed what his boss had told him. He was being hurt for a reason. It was always his fault and had only himself to blame. He believed him all that time. When Seunghyun or Youngbae would tell him that the abuse was too brutal he would always tell them what Keun would tell him. That he saw potential in the boy and that’s why he was harder on Jiyong then he was on the others. But eventually he began to come to his senses. After he woke up from his coma and found out that the reason he was put in one in the first place was because Seunghyun was late to a meeting, he changed how he saw things. His treatment was no longer discipline. It was abuse.

 

His time with Heechul and the Hujin family gave him the perspective he needed to fully understand everything he himself had gone through. Seeing the abuse happen to someone else only strengthened the truth of how cruel it was. If Jiyong couldn’t care about himself being hurt, he could when he saw it happen to somebody else.

 

And now, as he stood there looking down at the animal that lay in the bed before him he was the angriest he had ever been. He leaned down closer and stared holes into other man’s face, sending shivers down his spine.

 

“I’m nothing like you. If I was, you would have stopped breathing years ago.”

 

He reached down further, almost touching the older man’s nose.

 

“So you should be the one thanking me, old man.”

 

Without another word he pushed away from the bed and left the dark room, slamming the door behind him.

 

This time, the conversation seemed a lot more final.

 

He was met outside in the hall by Youngbae who was leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed. The brunette kicked away from the concrete and walked alongside his friend down the hallway. He scanned the smaller man’s face to gauge how his interaction with their boss went this time. He saw a bead of sweat drip down Jiyong’s temple and glanced down to see that his fist was clenched tight. He immediately grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him back against the wall and held him there. It wasn’t hard, but enough to startle the other man.

 

“What the fuck, Youngbae?”

 

“What’s wrong? Is it your head? Did he touch you?”

 

“No!”

 

If it was anyone else Jiyong would have knocked them out right there, but he just sighed and leaned his head back against the wall, not bothering to push his friend away.

 

“He just said what he always does. That I should thank him and blah blah blah…”

 

“Thank him for what? Beating you? Starving you? Burning you? Putting you into a coma? Which is it Ji, because I’m having a hard time figuring it out!”

 

A long silence filled the corridor followed by Jiyong bringing his head forward and staring into the other man’s eyes wordlessly. Only then did Youngbae notice that his grip on his boss’ shoulders had tightened and his breathing had sped up. He blinked away the fuzziness in his eyes and came to his senses when he saw Jiyong’s blank expression.

 

“I-I’m sorry, Ji. I just…”

 

He couldn’t even look his friend in the eye as regret washed over him. He felt Jiyong’s warm and slow breaths against his face.

 

“Youngbae. Look at me.”

 

The older man did as he was told. His boss’ deep and smooth voice taking control of his eyes. He saw Jiyong looking at him through soft, dark orbs.

 

“I’m fine. Really. He just made me angry, that’s all.”

 

Taeyang sighed and leaned his head forward against his friend’s.

 

“I thought you were hurting.”

 

Jiyong let out a short breath and smiled gently, feeling the familiar weight against his head.

 

“He can’t hurt me. Not anymore.”

 

Just then, a figure rounded the corner.

 

“Boss!”

 

It was Seungri. He continued to walk down the corridor towards the two other men, not phased at all by their closeness. He know they took care of eachother and that they had a bond that had been forged a long time ago. He stopped next to them and Taeyang stepped away from Jiyong, leaning against the wall with his palm. Jiyong simply rolled his body towards Seungri so that he was still resting his weight against the wall and folded his arms.

 

“What’s up?”

 

“Just got word from Mino. Him and Bobby were out doing their rounds and got jumped by Hujin’s guys. They’re pinned down by the river.”

 

“Hujin? What are they doing so far out?”

 

Taeyang turned to his boss. Jiyong pushed away from the wall as he grew more concerned.

 

“What I wanna know is why they attacked our boys.”

 

Seungri nodded enthusiastically, itching to make a move.

 

“Want me to send out an order?”

 

Jiyong thought for a moment before placing a hand on the youngest man’s shoulder.

 

“No, I want you to grab Dae and follow me.”

 

He brushed past Seungri and headed for the exit. The youngest turned to Taeyang and grinned.

 

“Hell yeah.”

 

He then turned and jogged after their boss, leaving Taeyang to wonder why Jiyong wanted to go when he really didn’t have to. He eventually sighed and ran after them both.


	13. The Riverside

Part 2

Chapter 2

The Riverside

 

Taeyang sped through the darkening streets of Seoul until they reached the riverside. Immediately they could hear gunshots and shouting as Taeyang, Jiyong, Seungri and Daesung got out of the car and ran towards the commotion. There were a few bodies on the concrete and Jiyong tried to get a good look to see if any of them were his guys. Luckily, he heard a voice coming from the ledge next to the rushing water.

 

“Boss!”

 

He snapped his head towards the noise and saw Bobby sitting back against the ledge, holding his side. Jiyong immediately looked at the medic causing Daesung to nod.

 

“I’m on it!”

 

They ran over and crouched beside the fallen soldier. Daesung placed his hand over the other man’s and saw the amount of blood that was coming from underneath.

 

“He’s been shot.”

 

Taeyang glanced to Seungri who looked at the remaining figures not too far from them. Jiyong felt rage building up inside him. He placed a gentle hand on the injured man’s shoulder.

 

“Bobby, what happened? Where’s Mino?”

 

Bobby was breathing heavily and sweating profusely, but he was still fully aware.

 

“They came outta nowhere, boss. Five or six of ‘em, I’m not really sure. Said that Hujin sent them. I did my best, but I got hit. I managed to get one on the way down, but Mino is still fighting.”

 

He went to stand up, but was pushed back down by Daesung.

 

“I’ll take care of it. You did good, Bobby.”

 

Jiyong lightly squeezed his shoulder before standing up and looking towards the ongoing clash. He spotted Mino in a fist fight with somebody twice his size, but was alerted when he saw a man struggle to stand and pull out a gun, aiming it towards his soldier. Jiyong reached into his pocket and took out his own gun, instantly firing it. The bullet hit the man straight in the forehead, killing him.

 

“Go.”

 

That’s all Seungri needed to hear before bolting towards the action. Taeyang gave his friend a worried glance. Jiyong just returned his glance, completely unfazed, nodded and ran towards the fight. Taeyang followed and engaged in the battle. The man who had been squaring off with Mino was attacked by Seungri and mauled by the young man. Taeyang pointed behind Mino at another who was creeping up behind him. Mino turned just in time to deflect the knife that was coming for his face. He grabbed it, feeling the blade cut into his fingers, but the need to stay alive overtook his pain until Taeyang caught up and headbutted the attacker. The last man was running towards where the guy Jiyong killed had dropped his gun. He bent down and scrambled to pick the weapon up. He fumbled for a moment and eventually he had a firm grip, standing up and pointing to where he had last seen Jiyong, but as soon as he did he was met with Jiyong’s leg flying right at his chest. The impact was incredible, causing him to be sent backwards and straight to the ground desperately struggling to breathe. Jiyong landed on his feet and glanced around. He saw Taeyang next to Mino so he ran over to them.

 

The older man was holding Mino by the wrist, inspecting the wound that had been sliced into his palm and across his fingers. Jiyong approached and took the wrist himself, over Taeyang’s hand.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Mino had some bruises on his face and a trickle of blood dripped down his temple. His black hair was all over the place and he was out of breath.

 

“Hurts like a bitch, but I’ll be fine. Where’s Bobby?”

 

“He got shot. Daesung’s with him now.”

 

Taeyang explained and gripped his arm tighter when he felt the younger man tense.

 

“Shit! Is he-”

 

“He’s okay. Dae is looking after him.”

 

Mino took a few more breaths before looking into his senior’s eyes.

 

“Boss, I’m sorry. They ambushed us.”

 

“Don’t apologise, Mino. It’s not your fault. It’s fucking Hujin.”

 

Taeyang smiled to himself at how unlike Keun Jiyong was. If this situation happened to them ten years ago, he couldn’t even imagine what Keun would do to the other man.

 

Seungri approached his family members when he saw a few of the downed bodies begin to stand back up. The four men looked around as they were beginning to be surrounded. They youngest shot a smile at the others.

 

“Ready for Round Two?”

 

However, they weren’t given a chance to make a move as bright lights appeared from the darkness. A car screeched to a halt next to them and three figures came out, standing in front of the headlights. Taeyang brought his arm up above his eyes to see if he could make out who it was.

 

“Oh, shit!”

 

One of the men who Seungri had punched to the ground exclaimed when he made out who it was. After a moment, Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Shindong emerged from the harsh light and approached the Keun family members.

 

“What the fuck is this?”

 

Jiyong spat to the men next to him. The Hujin brothers came closer, their familiar features becoming apparent. The younger brother instantly grabbed one of the half conscious men on the ground next to his foot and held up up towards him by his shirt.

 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, huh!?”

 

The man stuttered, unable to form any coherent words. Kyuhyun got frustrated quickly and threw him back to the ground. He stood up straight and scanned the bodies of his men.

 

“Anybody care to tell me why the fuck you’re in enemy territory without permission? Anybody!?”

 

“Enemy? I’m offended.”

 

Kyuhyun and Leeteuk instantly spun towards that familiar deep, but soft voice. Only now did they notice the members of the Keun family standing in front of them.

 

“Jiyong?”

 

The older brother was genuinely confused.

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

Jiyong placed his hands in his pockets.

 

“I could ask you the same thing.”

 

He stepped closer towards his rival until he was only about a foot away.

 

“Hujin.”

 

He spoke slowly, his voice laced with venom. As the two leaders faced off, Kyuhyun looked around to try to make sense of everything. He spotted the man that Jiyong had killed and ran over to him. Once he confirmed he wasn’t breathing he paced towards Jiyong, but was stopped by Seungri who stepped in front of him.

 

“They killed one of ours, Teuk!”

 

Leeteuk tore his eyes away from the smaller man’s and took in the sight of his dead soldier.

 

“May I ask why one of my men is lying dead by our feet?”

 

“For the same reason one of mine was attacked with a knife and the other was shot.”

 

Jiyong gestured to his two men, losing his patience.

 

“Why the fuck were your men sitting here waiting to ambush my boys, Leeteuk?”

 

His eyes were burning with fire, all of the formalitlies from their previous meeting completely evapourating. He saw the taller man’s brows furrow slightly.

 

“What is going on?”

 

Leeteuk spoke quietly, almost to himself. Jiyong’s feline eyes narrowed when he realised that the brother’s hadn’t given any order. The older brother suddenly took out his gun, causing Taeyang, Seungri and Mino to do the same, but Leeteuk turned towards the tall man who had attacked Mino and lowered down to him, resting his gun against his forehead. He leaned down right to his quivering face.

 

“Listen to me and listen hard because I’m only going to ask you this once. What are you doing here? Why were you waiting to ambush these two?”

 

The terrified man instantly answered.

 

“Y-Your father gave the order.”

 

Jiyong snapped his head to look at Leeteuk who had looked up at him by instinct. Shindong made eye contact with Taeyang, both as surprised as the others.

 

“Tell me why and make it quick.”

 

“H-He didn’t say. He j-just said to attack as soon as we saw them and to not mention it to anyone else. I swear that’s a-all!”

 

Leeteuk stood up and put his gun back in his pocket. He returned to the others and looked at his brother. Kyuhyun looked at him with furrowed brows. Shindong took out his phone.

 

“I’ll contact Seunghyun. Maybe he heard something.”

 

Jiyong knew that Hujin had made himself scarce for the last few months. Seunghyun had made him aware of this. But the assistant had no idea why and honestly he didn’t care if it meant getting to spend more time with Heechul. If he knew that Hujin was planning something to mess with the families then he would have been more concerned. However, none of this made sense. He was the one that had pushed the agreement between the two famlies in the first place.

 

“Look, obviously neither of us knew this was going to happen. But you two need to keep check on your father otherwise there will be even more blood on his hands. Then I can’t be held accountable for what I might do.”

 

Jiyong spoke plainly before turning and taking Mino by the shoulder, bringing him towards Daesung and Bobby. Kyuhyun turned to his older brother.

 

“More blood? What did he mean by that?”

 

Leeteuk just watched the small, feline-like man walk away. He wondered the same thing himself. He decided against pressing Jiyong any further and wanted to focus more on finding what his father was up to.

 

Taeyang and Seungri were folowing their leader, who was still holding Mino, but was also texting Seunghyun.

 

‘JI: you need to find out what hujin is doing. mino and bobby were ambushed on his order.’

 

Jiyong put his phone back in his pocket and glanced to check on the man he was helping.

 

“You doing okay?”

 

Mino smirked and tightened his grip on Jiyong’s hand around his shoulder.

 

“Yeah, boss. I’m good. Thanks for the help back there.”

 

“Of course. Can’t have either of you dying on me, can I?”

 

His phone vibrated. Seunghyun was calling him.

 

“Youngbae, can you help Mino? I have a call.”

 

He passed his soldier over to his friend and answered the phone.

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

“Jiyong, I just heard from Shindong. Are they okay?”

 

“Bobby took a bullet and Mino messed up his hand pretty good, but they’re okay.”

 

“Jesus... Shin told me what went down. So, it’s Hujin?”

 

“Leeteuk and Kyuhyun were clueless, Seunghyun. Wherever Hujin is, he’s trying to force us to fight back by hurting our soldiers and he’s blaming it on the brothers.”

 

Jiyong could feel himself becoming worked up at the thought of his trusted soldiers being targeted. Taeyang watched his friend’s angry demeanor from the distance.

 

“Now that he isn’t on top anymore he’s resorting to cheap tricks like this! Seunghyun, find out where he is. I want him now.”

 

“Believe me, Ji. There’s nothing more I want then to watch you stab him in the heart, but nobody’s seen him in months. The only time he messaged me was when he wanted me to dye Heechul’s hair.”

 

Seunghyun was met with silence on the other end of the line. He listened closer and heard the other man’s breaths start to slow as he calmed himself down and let out a smooth, low sigh.

 

“Are you with him now?”

 

“I was earlier. I just went to buy some Peperro. He loves how sweet they are.”

 

Jiyong chuckled, trying to imagine the blonde eating the strange chocolate covered pretzel. The image helped calm him.

 

“Is he okay?”

 

“He’s fine, Ji. If this absence continues… I think he’ll be okay.”

 

Jiyong nodded.

 

“Okay. Good. I’m going to go back and keep an eye on Mino and Bobby and in the meantime…”

 

As the mob boss passed by the last of Hujin’s fallen men he grabbed him by the foot and dragged him behind him.

 

“... I’ll do what I can to find Hujin. I expect that you’ll do the same.”

 

“Of course, Jiyong. Whatever it takes.”

 

Jiyong hung up the phone and reached his car. He dropped the unconscious man and looked to Taeyang.

 

“Pop the trunk. He’s coming with us.”

 

Taeyang nodded, immediately understanding what he had meant.

 

“Seungri, got any plans later?”

 

The youngest inspected the man on the ground.

 

“No, sir.”

 

His boss placed his hand on his shoulder.

 

“Good ‘cause I need you this evening.”

 

Seungri’s eyes lit up as he cracked his knuckles.

 

“It’s my pleasure, boss.”

 

Jiyong rolled his eyes as Seungri opened the door for him.

 

“Sometimes you worry me, kid. But right now I don’t give a fuck.”

 

Their boss got in the car and they all headed back to the Keun compound, hopefully one step closer to finding Hujin.

 

 

\---

 

 

“I didn’t think you’d like Peperro so much, Chullie.”

 

Kyuhyun watched his older brother munch on the sweet snack. Leeteuk sat next to him and Seunghyun knelt in front, handing him fresh sticks when he finished each one. Shindong stood leaning back against the wall.

 

The three men returned to the compound straight away after finding out about the Keun soldiers being ambushed. At first they were furious, thinking that they were the ones who had been attacked first. But when they met Jiyong there himself and saw how angry and confused he was, his feelings were immediately shared.

 

It was strange for their father to disappear like this. They were so used to him having such a controlling presence in their every day lives that now they were experiencing this freedom for the first time. But it also worried them. Even when they tried to contact him he didn’t reply to a single message or call. But as long as Heechul was safe, they enjoyed the tyrant’s absence.

 

The blonde happily crunched the hard snack and savoured the sweet taste that he was so unused to. Seunghyun just watched the equally sweet boy’s smooth face and smiled to himself. Leeteuk knew that his father’s assistant had grown fond of his brother. He didn’t mind at all. He was glad that there was somebody to look after him when he, Kyuhyun and Shindong weren’t able to. Hujin’s last two assistants seemed to enjoy what was happening to Heechul. The last one, Bongwoo, enjoyed it a bit too much. So much so that he would come back after Hujin was done and instead of cleaning the boy up like he was asked, he would continue the onslaught into the early hours. One morning Hujin came in earlier than usual to prepare for a meeting with Keun and caught Bongwoo beating Heechul with a hammer. The CEO instantly exploded, saying that Heechul was his son and that only he could discipline him and not long after the verbal assault, Bongwoo found the hammer embedded into his own temple.

 

Seunghyun was the first one that seemed to be affected by their father’s cruelty towards their brother. And Leeteuk respected him for this. He trusted him.

 

“Hyung?”

 

The oldest brother was brought out of his thoughts by the voice beside him. He turned to see Heechul offering him the chocolate stick. The blonde’s smile was contagious and Leeteuk glanced to see Seunghyun, Kyuhyun and Shindong each holding a stick of their own, enjoying the unique taste.

 

“You need to eat, Teuk. You look terrible.”

 

“Thanks, Chullie.”

 

The elder chuckled before dramatically taking a bite from the snack.

 

“He’s right, hyung. When’s the last time you slept?”

 

Kyuhyun spoke through his crunching.

 

“I’m fine, really. It’s just that since father’s absence, I’ve been dealing with all of his clients first hand.”

 

“You are aware that I’ve been in all those meetings with you, right?”

 

The youngest brother remarked lightly.

 

“Well, yeah…”

 

“So you’ve no excuse to look like shit.”

 

Heechul burst out laughing at Kyuhyun’s harsh comment. Leeteuk reacted by throwing the rest of his snack at the boy.

 

“You little!”

 

Seunghyun laughed at the scene in front of him. He and Shindong watched the three brothers play together like they were children again. How long had it been since they had been able to do this? Had they ever? The years spent being told by Keun that these people were their enemies seemed absolutely pointless when he saw how decent they actually were. He longed for the three brothers to be able to simply live as brothers and the desperate need to save Heechul from the cruel situation that he had been born into. For a long time Seunghyun had blamed Leeteuk and Kyuhyun for not stepping in and getting their brother out of here, but as he got to know them and their situation more he began to understand that it wasn’t that simple. And the few tender moments he had seen between the brothers told him that they loved eachother immensely and were devastated with what was happening.

 

He locked eyes with the other assistant and they shared a smile. Seunghyun felt his phone vibrate and wondered if Jiyong had found out anything about Hujin yet, but when he saw the words on the screen he froze. Shindong, who was still watching him saw his change in demeanor and the shock on his face.

 

“Seunghyun, everything okay?”

 

Shindong asked, causing the three brothers to stop messing around and look at the other man.

 

“It’s Hujin.”

 

“What?”

 

Kyuhyun sat up straight and Leeteuk placed his hand on Heechul’s knee instinctively.

 

“What did he say?”

 

Seunghyun stared down at the screen and read the words.

 

‘Hujin: I’m on the way. Be there in 20 min. Don’t tell Leeteuk or Kyuhyun I’m coming.’

 

He wondered in his head if he should obey his boss and lie about it, but his better judgement took over.

 

“H-He said he’ll be here in twenty minutes and not to tell you that he’s coming.”

 

Shindong pushed forward against the wall so he could face everyone.

 

“What is he up to?”

 

Kyuhyun stood up and started to pace.

 

“Well what should we do?”

 

Seunghyun thought for a moment before looking at the oldest brother.

 

“Leeteuk?”

 

Leeteuk looked Heechul and searched his face for an answer. The blonde simply nodded at his brother.

 

“Okay, here’s what we do. Kyu, Shin, the the three of us will hide in the bathroom. Seunghyun, just act like we were never here and whatever you do, keep him away from the bathroom.”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“Maybe then we can see what the hell he’s been up to all this time and why he tried to start shit with GD.”

 

Kyuhyun looked at the blonde boy.

 

“Heechul, we won’t be far and Seunghyun will be here, okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

He squeezed his older brother’s shoulder before standing and picking up the empty Peperro packages. The three men left the basement and hastily made their way to the bathroom. Seunghyun turned back down to Heechul and looked him in the eyes.

 

“Don’t be scared. No matter what he does, we’re right here.”

 

He leaned forward and took the blonde in his arms, hugging him tight.

 

“Thank you, Seunghyun. For spending time with me for the last few months. I’ve had fun with you. Please tell Jiyong I’m sorry that I won’t be able to talk to him again. I’ll miss him.”

 

Seunghyun felt his heart smash, taking the back of Heechul’s head in his hand, caressing the blonde locks through his fingers.

 

“Don’t talk like that. It’ll be okay. You’ll be able to eat all the Peperro you want with Jiyong in person. I promise.”

 

The blonde nodded against the other man’s shoulder and felt him pull away. He watched Seunghyun disappear back upstairs and hoped that next time he saw him he would be able to see his face clearly.

 

Seunghyun sadly closed the basement door and turned to see Leeteuk nod at him before he closed the bathroom door. He made his way over to the couch and sat down, looking at his watch. His hands shook and his breath became shallow and for the first time in a long time, he was scared. He was terrified of what he was going to do. A million scenarios flew around his mind like a tornado. However, the tornado died down soon after as the door swung open and Hujin entered the office. Seunghyun immediately stood up bowed.

 

“Good evening, sir.”

 

“Seunghyun.”

 

The man walked swiftly across the room wheeling a large suitcase behind him.

 

“Where are my sons?”

 

“They had some business in Busan. They don’t know anything, sir.”

 

Seunghyun silently prayed that this blatant lie wouldn’t backfire on him. He glanced back towards the bathroom to see Kyuhyun peaking out through a tiny gap. He gave him a look as if to say ‘Get the fuck back in there!’

 

“Good. I’m glad I can trust you.”

 

Eventually the man stopped right beside the familiar picture of his wife. He gently caressed her smiling face.

 

“How’s the other one?”

 

It took Seunghyun a moment to realise that he was talking about Heechul.

 

“Oh, he’s fine. I’ve been feeding him and I dyed his hair like you asked.”

 

Hujin nodded.

 

“S-Sir… There have been some… rumours spreading…”

 

“What about?”

 

The older man didn’t move.

 

“Well, about you and the ambush by the river…”

 

Hujin immediately spun around and took a step closer to his assistant.

 

“And do you believe these so called rumours, Seunghyun? Hm?”

 

Seunghyun felt like his boss was ten feet tall and towering above him.

 

“H-Honeslty, sir. I just do what you tell me. I leave my beliefs at home.”

 

Hujin remained silent for a moment. Seunghyun felt his nerves crumble and it felt like a year had passed before Hujin let out a short laugh and smiled, patting his assistant on the cheek.

 

“That’s why I like you, kid. Your simple. Like a dog.”

 

The older man turned to the picture and pressed the button to open the basement door. Seunghyun let out a breath of relief that his boss bought his ridiculous reply.

 

“Carry my case down.”

 

Seunghyun followed behind Hujin with the heavy case. It felt like a tonne of bricks inside the thing. He heard the booming voice of the older man who had reached the bottom before him.

 

“How’s my favourite son doing, eh?”

 

Sarcasm dripped from his voice. Seunghyun eventually made his way into the room and wheeled the case beside Hujin. He saw Heechul sitting against the wall, looking up at his father. His expression was hard to read.

 

“Why do you look so sad, boy? Didn’t you miss me?”

 

Heechul glanced to Seunghyun for a split second before simply nodding.

 

“That’s what I like to hear!”

 

Hujin paced forward and kneeled in front of the blonde.

 

“That’s why you’re my favourite, Heechul.”

 

The older man placed both large hands on his son’s shoulders.

 

“I’ve been watching the way that weak little pretty boy has been running things for the last six months. The Keun family think that their time is only just beginning, but I’m going to show GD that it’s only a matter of time before Hujin is back on top.”

 

He moved his hands to cup his trembling son’s face.

 

“And you’re exactly how I’m going to do it.”

 

Seunghyun saw how terrified Heechul looked and went to step towards him, but Hujin’s voice filled the room.

 

“Seunghyun, leave us.”

 

The assistant was incredibly reluctant as this was the first time that he had no idea what his boss was going to do. His demeanor and words to his son were throwing him off. But nevertheless, he slowly stepped back after giving Heechul one last reassuring look and exited the basement. He closed the door behind him and made his way over to the bathroom. Leeteuk emerged followed by Kyuhyun and their assistant.

 

“What was in the suitcase?”

 

The oldest asked.

 

“I don’t know. He told me to leave before I could see. But it was strange.”

 

“What was?”

 

Kyuhyun enquired.

 

“He was talking to Heechul like he loved him. Calling him his favourite and saying how he was going to help him destroy G-Dragon.”

 

Leeteuk crossed his arms and rubbed his chin as he tried to figure out what was going on.

 

“Okay. Stay here, Seunghyun. We better get out of here and spread the word that we’re in ‘Busan.’ Nice cover by the way.”

 

Seunghyun nodded.

 

“I’ll keep you posted.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

Kyuhyun said sincerely.

 

“I almost blew our cover just so I could punch him in the face.”

 

“Let’s go, guys.”

 

Shindong ushered the brothers towards the door before turning and nodding at his fellow assistant. Seunghyun returned the gesture and made his way to the couch in the corner. He crashed down and let his head fall back against the cushion. He let out a long sigh and let the feeling of uncertainty wash through him. He needed to let Jiyong know that Hujin had returned.


	14. Respite

Part 2

Chapter 3

Respite

 

He leaned against the cold wall with a cigarette between his lips, bent over his silver lighter as he let the flame burn the end of the stick. In the background, screams of pain were heard along with the sound of a fist striking flesh. He took in a drag and as he let out a breath and the dancing smoke cleared in the damp air, he watched Seungri work on the Hujin soldier.

 

The young Keun enforcer struck the man for what felt like the fiftieth time. Blood poured from the man’s mouth as he leaned forward, almost falling off the chair he was tied tightly to. They were going into their third hour. It wasn’t that the man was being difficult, it was that he was a mumbling mess and couldn’t be understood. Whether it was from nerves, fear of retaliation from Hujin, or all an act, Seungri wasn’t convinced.

 

Just as the young man picked him up from his chin and reared his fist back to strike again, Jiyong stepped forward.

 

“Stop.”

 

He slowly approached the man as he puffed another breath of smoke. He stopped a few inches from his shaking form and stared down at the pathetic form below him. Jiyong had become immune to violence over the years. Either as a form of punishment, interrogation, inflictor or even just as a witness. He reached down and took the man’s face from his younger soldier. Seungri relished moments like this. The moments where he could just watch Jiyong work. They almost felt like bonding experiences for him. So he watched through child-like eyes as his boss leaned down and looked into the terrified man’s eyes.

 

“Take a moment to decide how you are going to answer my question.”

 

The cigarette still rested between his lips and he took a drag without removing it. The man had never been this close to the enemy before and despite being completely terrified of the smaller, delicate man, he instantly noticed how nice he smelled. His scent was almost floral-like. And the hand that gripped him so tightly was so soft, almost like a child’s.

 

“Where is Hujin?”

 

The man sputtered, spitting all over Seungri. The Keun soldier squinted his eyes shut and reached up to wipe the crimson liquid out of his eyes. He sighed and shot an unamused glance to Jiyong who was smiling cheekily.

 

“I-I swear, I d-don’t know! He j-just asked a b-bunch of us to wait by the r-river! It was over the phone and we only talked for about twenty s-seconds! Please! I d-don’t know where he is!”

 

Jiyong slowly blinked back up at Seungri who looked back at him in anticipation. The smartly dressed boss reached up with his free hand and took the still burning cigarette from his mouth. He tighted his grip on the man’s face and brought the scorching hot tip of the cigarette dangerously close to the man’s swollen eye. The Hujin soldier started to struggle, but Jiyong was a lot stronger than he looked and he was well and truly stuck. He could feel the heat from the burning ash as it got closer to his eye.

 

“I will ask once more. Where. Is. Hujin?”

 

Seungri was smiling in glee as Jiyong brought the cigaretter closer to the now crying man’s face.

 

“Please! I don’t know! Oh God!”

 

Just as he was about to make contact, Jiyong felt his pocket vibrate. He immediately let the man go and put the cigarette back in his mouth. He spun around and took out his phone. It was a message from Seunghyun.

 

‘TOP: hujin came back. told me not to tell the brothers. he went down to heechul and now I can’t get back into the office. he’s been down there for 4 hrs ji. i don’t knw what he’s doing. should I come back or wait it out?’

 

Jiyong thought for a moment. He was surprised that Hujin had just returned out of nowhere.

 

‘JI: no come back. I want to know everything. and u should rest. see u soon.’

 

Jiyong put his phone back in his pocket and turned to the shaking man covered in blood.

 

“It seems he was telling the truth.”

 

Seungri looked disappointed. Jiyong noticed and glanced back at the man once more before walking towards the exit. Before his boss disappeared completely, Seungri heard his soft voice.

 

“Do what you want with him.”

 

The young soldier beamed and faced the man one more time.

 

“I love my job.”

 

 

 

 

Leeteuk and Kyuhyun had gathered their crew in a safehouse that they had on standby. Since the story was that they were supposed to be in Busan on business, they needed to make sure everybody was on the same page.

 

“Thanks for coming, guys. I know it’s a bit far out for some of you.”

 

Leeteuk assured the crew who were gathered around a table made from an oil barrel and a large plank of wood.

 

“What’s this about, boss? And why are we meeting here?”

 

The older Hujin brother looked to Yesung who was sitting up on a bar stool next to the couch that Eunhyuk, Donghae and Siwon were sprawled out on.

 

“Well, it seems that our father has finally returned.”

 

“Oh, shit…”

 

Eunhyuk remarked.

 

Leeteuk nodded and folded his arms.

 

“Yes. And due to some complications, he thinks that Kyu and I are on a business trip in Busan so that’s why we’re meeting here.”

 

“Complications?”

 

Siwon enquired quietly.

 

“Hujin’s return was surprising and caught Seunghyun off-guard. When he asked why we weren’t at the office he said the first thing he could think of. Honestly, I’m grateful. It gives us time to think.”

 

He was not about to explain the real reason why Seunghyun lied for them. That they were hiding in the bathroom from their father.

 

“So when will you be ‘back from Busan’?

 

Donghae held up his hands and bent his fingers as he spoke. Leeteuk snickered before his reply.

 

“Just until the end of the week. Shin, Kyu and I will just hang out until we can come back to the compound.”

 

“Baby boss, you’re very quiet.”

 

Eunhyuk’s pet name for the younger Hujin brother rang through the quiet room. Usually a name like this would cause the man to fly into a rage, but the young man was silently leaning against the wall in a daze, staring at the ground. The lack of response caused his big brother to turn to him.

 

“Kyu.”

 

Kyuhyun looked up at Leeteuk, completely oblivious to Eunhyuk’s remark, something that the martial artist was silently thankful for because a silent Kyuhyun was a dangerous Kyuhyun.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

The younger man glanced at his crew before looking back at his brother.

 

“I hate that man. I hate him with every fibre of my being.”

 

The other men in the room were surprised at his words. He had never really spoken so personally before. At least to his soldiers.

 

“The last time I saw him I had a gun pointed at his face and was this close to pulling the trigger.”

 

He held up his finger and thumb to accentuate what he was talking about.

 

“Why didn’t you, boss?”

 

Yesung asked, petting his own weapon that was wrapped around his ankle. Kyuhyun sighed slightly, his angular eyebrows softening.

 

“Because I figured that if I killed him, we would never have a chance...”

 

“A chance to what?”

 

Siwon asked, gazing through his glasses.

 

The younger brother glanced up at Leeteuk who sensed the look on his face. He could tell he was so close. Then the young man blinked and it was like he switched.

 

“Well, think about it Siwon. How many people has he killed or ordered to be killed over the years? How many lives has he ruined? How many times have you had to run on little to no sleep just so he can have a few square miles of extra turf? If I killed him we would never have a chance to watch him burn. All of us. Not just me. If I killed him, it would just be like blowing out a match. I want us all to watch him burn. Together.”

 

Everybody looked at eachother, fascinated at the young man’s honesty and understanding that everyone hated Hujin as much as the brothers did. And Hujin knew it. Leeteuk knew that Kyuhyun was so close to telling the guys the truth. When nobody said anything, Kyuhyun just sighed and leaned back against the wall, lighting up a cigarette.

 

Siwon seemed to be satisfied with the answer that his boss so eliquently explained to everyone.

 

“So what do you want us to do until you’re back? Lay low?”

 

Donghae asked the brothers.

 

“No. Head back to the compound. Seunghyun said that he’s been locked out of the office for two days now. See if you can find out anything.”

 

“Will do, boss.”

 

The crew each stood up and made their way to the exit of the safehouse.

 

“Keep in touch.”

 

Once everyone had left, Leeteuk turned to his little brother and smiled at him.

 

“Nice speech.”

 

Kyuhyun puffed out a long breath of smoke as he dragged himself to the old couch and fell over the back so that he was lying on the cushions.

 

“I was so close to telling them about Heechul.”

 

Leeteuk and Shindong sat beside him, the assistant on the high stool and the brother on the table.

 

“Thank you for not telling them, Kyu.”

 

Kyuhyun blinked before turning his head to face his brother.

 

“Hyung, why do we have to keep him a secret still? You saw the guys. They don’t respect Hujin anymore.”

 

Leeteuk wordlessly took the younger man’s hand and inspected the scars from when he punched the wall the year before.

 

“I know how you feel, Kyu. But if we tell them now I think it will be too much of a shock.”

 

“I agree.”

 

Their assistant weighed in.

 

“They won’t understand the situation you’ve been in. They’ll see Heechul and have one question only - Why? You will lose their trust and right now, that’s what we need the most.”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“If we want to take down our father, our crew’s trust is vital. And then once that psycopath is behind bars or dead, honestly I don’t care which… we can introduce them to our brother. We just need to wait, Kyu. It won’t be much longer. I promise.”

 

Kyuhyun listened to the words of his two hyungs intently. He took the final drag of his cigarette before throwing the end on the ground. He leaned back and rested his forearm over his eyes.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

His big brother asked.

 

“Yeah, just a bit of a headache.”

 

Shindong intantly stood and went for the kitchen.

 

“It’s times like this when I wish I knew my mother, hyung.”

 

His little brother’s words caught Leeteuk completely by surprise.

 

“Kyu…”

 

“I want to know what she looks like. How her perfume smells. If she has a family or any children other than me.”

 

Leeteuk reached down and took the younger man’s arm away from his face to reveal his moist eyes. He looked incredibly sad.

 

The brothers found out that Kyuhyun had a different mother when they were very young. Hujin had blurted it out in a fit of rage one night and the boys went down to Heechul that same night and cried together until morning. Whenever Kyuhyun attempted to ask Hujin about her, the cold man would either ignore him or tell him that he had no idea what he was talking about. And then he would mention her every now and again just to taunt his son or whenever he would misbeheave to explain the reason behind his bold behaviour. To this day he still had no idea who or where she was. So in these moments, when a son needed his mother, instead of knowing that his mother was gone like Leeteuk and Heechul did, Kyuhyun had no idea and always felt this missing piece in his heart.

 

“Kyu, she is out there. I know it.”

 

Shindong returned with a glass of water for Kyuhyun. Leeteuk helped the younger man sit up and spin his legs so that they were planted on the ground.

 

“Thanks, Shin.”

 

Leeteuk said as he handed Kyuhyun the glass. His little brother took a sip and savoured the cool liquid on his throat before placing the glass on the table.

 

“Do you think I have another brother or even maybe a sister somewhere in the world? Away from all this?”

 

Shindong smiled at the man’s words and exchanged a warm glance with Leeteuk.

 

“I think so, Kyu. And I think that one day you’ll all sit together and laugh like our family was supposed to all this time.”

 

Kyuhyun looked up at his brother’s words.

 

“Hyung, don’t forget about yourself. You and Chullie will be there too. And you too, Shin. You’re like family to me.”

 

Shindong felt his heart warm up as he placed his hand on Kyuhyun’s knee. Leeteuk smiled down at his little brother, imagining this perfect scenario in his head.

 

Little did they know that the long lost brother or sister that they were imagining was only a few miles away and unfortunately they were definitely no stranger to the violent and horrifying life that they had hoped he never had to live through.

 

 

\---

 

 

Jiyong lay on the grass under the clear night sky. He silently scanned the beautiful space above him, trying to find each constellation. It was one of his favourite things to do and he was so busy lately that he hadn’t been able to for such a long time. The night was cool and fresh, so he only wore his comfotable trousers, feeling the soft blades of grass dance against the bare skin of his back.

 

After a while, a pair of legs appeared beside him before the top half of this person became visible, as Seunghyun was now sitting cross-legged next to Jiyong.

 

“Here you are.”

 

The smaller man sat up and took the glass from his friend’s hand.

 

“Thank you.”

 

They both raised their glasses to eachother before taking a sip from the strong alcohol and setting them down on the grass.

 

“Have you heard anything?”

 

Seunghyun opened the top few buttons of his black shirt, allowing the cool night air to brush against his rarely exposed skin.

 

“Not since this morning. I messaged him to ask if he needed me to come in. He said no, but that I would be needed soon.”

 

Jiyong nodded and leaned back with his palms against the ground, letting his head fall back on his shoulder blades.

 

“I’m worried about him, Seunghyun.”

 

The older man saw his friend’s defeated posture.

 

“I know. Me too.”

 

“I miss him.”

 

Seunghyun turned to his friend and watched him looking up at the night sky. The moonlight cast a glow on Jiyong’s smooth face. It was moments like these when Seunghyun was reminded of when they were children. Jiyong always had a very youthful charm and never really lost the boyish look that made a lot of people let their guard down when dealing with him. But Jiyong’s disarming appearance only helped him prove just how dangerous he was. It impressed Seunghyun. A lot. But these were the moments that he always enjoyed the most. The moments that allowed him to catch a glimpse of what life would have been like had they not been picked up by Keun when they were boys and dragged into this dark and lonely life. But if he shifted his gaze down to his friend’s body and to the angry scars that decorated his delicate frame, he was harshly reminded of just how cruel their lives were.

 

“Me too.”

 

Seunghyun again repeated, not knowing what else to say. It had been two days since he had been locked out of Hujin’s office. No matter how many times he knocked he was met with only silence. It was extremely unnerving to go from having constant access to Heechul to having none at all. He just wanted to know something. Anything.

 

“I just want to break down the door at this point.”

 

Seunghyun let out a frustrated sigh, ripping some grass from the ground and playing with it between his fingers. Jiyong watched the other man. He saw the frustration in the tenseness in his shoulders. He saw the dread in the way his brow was furrowed and he saw the helplessness in his shining eyes.

 

“I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Seunghyun.”

 

The older man turned to his friend, not expecting such words to come from his mouth.

 

“I know it’s been tough for you. You’ve grown close to Leeteuk and Kyuhyun and you care deeply for Heechul. I’m sorry that you’re in the middle of this.”

 

“Ji, you don’t have to apologise. It’s my job. It’s what I’m good at.”

 

“I know, but-”

 

“Please, listen to me.”

 

Seunghyun turned to fully face his face now.

 

“I’m glad that I’ve had the chance to see behind the mask of the Hujin Corporation. If I didn’t, we would never know that Kyuhyun and Leeteuk are actually two decent human beings and not the cold and calculating brothers they seem like to the public. And we would never would have found out about Heechul, Ji. For those times that Teuk, Kyu and Shin weren’t there, I’m glad that it was me who was there to show Heechul the kind of friendship that he’s been missing this whole time. And now at least he has a fighting chance of getting out of there and living some sort of life.”

 

Jiyong blinked at his friend as he listened to his words.

 

“Yes, I was originally there only to find out some of Hujin’s secrets and gain the upper-hand, but now we just might save a life along the way.”

 

His little friend smiled. His face lit up as his mouth curled and his eyes turned into crescents.

 

“Goes to show how good you are, Seunghyun.”

 

The taller man laughed and waved his hand dismissively. Jiyong giggled and took a sip from his glass.

 

“So, how’s my little bro doing?”

 

His grin stayed plastered to his cherub face when Seunghyun almost choked on the glass that he now held in his hand.

 

“Oh, you mean Kyuhyun? God, I keep forgetting that you’re related. It’s so strange.”

 

Jiyong nodded.

 

“Do you think he knows?”

 

“I think he knows that he has a different mother than Leeteuk and Heechul, but I don’t think he knows that she’s yours.”

 

The smaller man looked back up at the sky.

 

“I wonder how he would react?”

 

Seunghyun surveyed his young friend, silently comparing him to the man in question.

 

“Well, he’s not afraid to show when he’s upset. Not unlike you actually.”

 

The older man observed.

 

“Mmm.”

 

Was Jiyong’s response, knowing that he could let his emotions take over sometimes. And he had heard the stories from Seunghyun that Kyuhyun had gotten himself into trouble over the years for his impulsive actions based on his strong emotions. Jiyong had learnt the hard way not to act on emotion.

 

The two men shared a comfortable silence as they both gazed up into the stars.

 

“It feels like the calm before the storm, doesn’t it?”

 

Jiyong asked his friend.

 

“Yes. It really does.”

 

Seunghyun turned to Jiyong and held out his fist. The smaller man turned to him.

 

“So let’s run into it head first.”

 

Jiyong smiled at his friend’s deep voice before reaching up and touching his fist against Seunghyun’s.

 

“Hell yeah.”


	15. Static

Part 2

Chapter 4

Static

 

Three days later and still with no word from Hujin, Seunghyun decided to just go to the compound and wait. At least there he was closer to Heechul and felt like he could do more. So there he sat, in the lounge. It was only about ten in the morning so there were not many people around yet. He was half tempted to pour himself a drink, but decided against when he actually looked at the time and saw how early it was. There was a heaviness in the air that he didn’t like. It felt like this entire building was slowly dying.

 

Just then he saw a shadow move past the blurred glass in the door so he shot up and ran to look out into the corridor. He silently creaked open the door to see the back of Hujin walking away. He noticed that he was carrying a set of keys. Did that mean he was going home? There was only one way to find out. He took off towards the direction of the office. He reached the dark door and prayed as he turned the knob.

 

“Yes!”

 

The door opened. He paced across the sprawling room and opened the basement door. As he made his way down the oh so familiar steps his heart felt like it was going to break through his ribcage. Once he made his way fully into the dark room he could see that it was lit up by a huge screen against the far wall. It was like an old film screen with only the image of static projected onto it. He saw a silhouette in front.It was Heechul. He was facing the screen and sitting in a chair. Seunghyun stepped closer until he was able to make his way around and beside the other man. He gasped when he saw him.

 

Heechul was staring at the static screen through half lidded eyes. His lips were slightly parted and his head was tilited forward a little. There were headphones covering his ears. He was tied tightly to the chair. He imagined that it was the only thing keeping him upright. But the most surprising thing about the man’s appearance was that his hair was now dark.

 

“What the hell?”

 

He waved his hand in front of the other’s delicate face, but there was no reaction.

 

“What are you-”

 

He interrupted himself by taking the headphones off of Heechul and holding one of the sides up to his own ear. The sound was almost deafening.

 

‘-AGAINST YOUR WILL. LOCKED AWAY. KEUN IS BAD. G-DRAGON IS YOUR ENEMY. HUJIN IS YOUR FAMILY. NOW YOU ARE HOME. YOU WERE TAKEN AGAINST YOUR WILL.’

 

The repeating voice was distorted and loud. Seunghyun immediately threw the headphones to the ground and bent down to take hold of Heechul’s face.

 

“Hey, Heechul! Snap out of it!”

 

The other man didn’t react at all. He just kept staring ahead. Seunghyun was at a loss. He was horrified.

 

“Shit! What has he done to you?”

 

Suddenly the static disappeared and the dim light in the room came on. He let go of Heechul and stood up straight. His stomach dropped when he saw Hujin standing in the doorway.

 

“So, you’ve managed to finally get back down here. It’s funny. I don’t remember calling for you.”

 

He stepped into the room, dropping his briefcase by the door. Seunghyun had no reply.

 

“Sir, I…”

 

Hujin sighed as he approached both of them.

 

“Well, you’re here now. What do you think?”

 

The assistant looked at Heechul for a moment before looking back at his boss.

 

“I don’t understand, sir.”

 

The older man chuckled and bent down to pick up the headphones. As he held them, he walked beside his son and looked down at him.

 

“Don’t worry, Seunghyun. It will all be made clear very soon.”

 

He kneeled down in front of the restrained boy and smiled at him.

 

“Isn’t that right, son?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Heechul’s reply was scary. His voice was devoid of any tone and he spoke without blinking or looking away from the now blank screen. Hujin patted the boy on the knee and stood up, placing the headphones back on his son’s now dark head.

 

“Now, I just got word that my other two sons have returned from Busan. We’re going to have a little meeting and I will explain to you, my sons and their team what is going to happen.”

 

Hujin gestured for his assistant to follow him out of the basement before turning to switch the static back onto the screen and pulling the string to turn off the light. Seunghyun looked back at the poor boy being brainwashed before nervously following the older man back up into his office. He closed the heavy door and when he turned back around he was immediately shoved violently back against the wall and held there by his throat. The edge of the framed picture of Hujin’s wife pressed painfully into his back.

 

“Listen to me and listen well.”

 

Hujin spoke with a venom he had never heard directed at him before. He gulped underneath the vice-like grip around his neck.

 

“If I ever catch you in my office without being summoned again I will break your neck.”

 

Seunghyun blinked up at the imposing man.

 

“This is your first instance of insubordination so I will forgive you this time, but this is the only time. Understand?”

 

Seunghyun immediately nodded causing the older man to instantly release his grip and allow air to continue to circulate through his assistant’s body.

 

“Good. Now, come on. They’ll be arriving any minute.”

 

The younger man held his throat gently and evened his breathing as best he could. He glanced behind him for a second and pretended like he could see through the wall and back down into the horrific room that his friend was being tortured in. He then turned back, straightened his jacket, took a shaky breath and followed his boss.

 

Things were so much worse than he thought.

 

 

\---

 

 

Eunhyuk, Donghae, Yesung and Siwon sat in the meeting room of the Hujin building. They were told there was very important meeting and that they had to be there no matter what. It was unusual to be summoned like this. Usually they got a text from Shindong just saying to come when they had a chance unless it was more urgent. Honestly, they were a little nervous.

 

The door opened and Shindong entered followed by the brothers. The crew instantly stood and bowed.

 

“Welcome back. How was your trip?”

 

Donghae said mockingly as he smiled at his bosses.

 

“Please sit, guys.”

 

Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Shindong shed themselves of their coats before joining their team at the large oak meeting table.

 

“So, what was so urgent?”

 

Siwon asked.

 

“Yeah, boss. What is this about?”

 

Eunhyuk joined in questioning his superiors.

 

Leeteuk looked at his younger brother.

 

“I have no idea, Eunhyuk. We aren’t the ones who called the meeting.”

 

“Then who did?”

 

Yesung asked.

 

Just then, the door opened and Seunghyun stepped in before he was followed by Hujin. The brothers instantly saw how white his assistant looked. He looked shaken. The team went silent when they saw the CEO. It was such a shock to see the imposing figure anyway, let alone after such a long absence. They each stood up and bowed ninety degrees.

 

Seunghyun led his boss to the head of the table and pulled the chair out for him. Once Hujin was seated, his assistant just stood behind with his hands clasped behind him, gaze fixed towards the floor. Hujin rested his hands on the desk and eventually looked up at the people in the room, making sure to make eye contact with each of them.

 

“Thank you for coming. I imagine you all have quite a few questions.”

 

Nobody dared to say anything. Kyuhyun clenched his fists on his lap under the table as he looked across at his father. The man looked back at his youngest son with an unreadable expression. There was a weight behind the look in his eyes.

 

“First let me just say; I’m very impressed with each of your track records over the past year. I may not have been here, but I’ve been watching you all very closely.”

 

The team exchanged nervous glances with eachother.

 

“That’s why you are here right now. I need you.”

 

“Father, what’s going on?”

 

Leeteuk finally asked what everyone was dying to know. Hujin looked at his oldest son and grinned. He glanced back at Seunghyun who immediately pulled out his boss’ chair to allow him to stand.

 

“I’m glad you asked, son.”

 

The CEO began to walk slowly around the room as he spoke.

 

“You see, while I was away, I had some time to think. About the trial. About the competition. About the future of the company.”

 

As the man reached the opposite end of the table, Kyuhyun could feel the looming presence linger behind him. Leeteuk watched his little brother tense.

 

“Last year was the worst business year this company has seen in over four decades. That was due to some poor decision-making and some unfortunate timing.”

 

Kyuhyun felt that last sentence smack him in the face.

 

“And of course, a certain scrawny little, brain damaged bastard named GD who decided now, of all times, was best to show his worth to the world.”

 

Seunghyun’s ears perked up at the mention of his friend’s name. Brain damaged? What did that mean? Did Hujin know about Jiyong’s headaches? Did he know more than that?

 

Hujin made his way back around the large table as he continued to speak.

 

“But as I said, my time away from the company has given me time to think and strategize a way in which we will gain back the power that Keun has stolen from us and at the same time destroy their empire that the public holds in such high regard.

 

Back at the head of the table, the CEO leaned forward and pressed his palms on the surface.

 

“Tomorrow I will be holding a press conference at the entrance of the building. I need you all there to act as security.”

 

Leeteuk and Kyuhyun leaned forward.

 

“Sir, why weren’t we informed sooner? That’s almost no time to prepare.”

 

The older brother spoke, voice raised.

 

“Relax, Leeteuk. While you were in Busan I was busy making preparations.”

 

The brothers saw Seunghyun rub his brow and close his eyes. He looked like he was about to be sick. Something was going on.

 

“Hujin, sir. Do you have reason to believe that something might happen? I mean, if we’re acting as additional security…”

 

“Siwon, is it?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Siwon, I’m just being careful. It’s been over a year since I’ve made a public appearance. One can never be too careful. And you never know. That GD kid seems highly unstable. If he decides to make an appearance I need you there to keep him and his dogs at bay.”

 

Shindong thought back to when he had met G-Dragon moths previously. He actually seemed like a nice enough guy. Gentle, but with a strength behind his eyes.

 

“Besides, you all impress me. I wouldn’t require your services otherwise.”

 

Hujin added, doing his best to butter up his son’s crew.

 

“Father…”

 

Leeteuk began before his little brother interrupted.

 

“What could you possibly say that will make any difference?”

 

Hujin smiled. There was a dark glint in his eye that sent shivers down everybody’s spine.

 

“You’ll see, son. Pretty soon, the whole world will.”

 

A heavy silence rang through the room. It felt like it lasted years. Eventually Hujin swiftly stood up, causing everybody else to do the same.

 

“Tomorrow, eight a.m. I need you all here. Dismissed.”

 

The crew bowed before shuffling out of the room. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun exchanged a glance with Seunghyun before they too left the room behind their crew. Hujin finally turned to his assistant.

 

“You’re dismissed too.”

 

Seunghyun bowed slightly before turning and walking towards the door.

 

“Oh, Seunghyun.”

 

The younger man closed his eyes as his boss approached him from behind.

 

“I’m going to need your phone.”

 

Seunghyun turned slowly to the CEO, looking up into his menacing eyes.

 

“I know you have my son’s phone numbers. Can’t have you ruining the surprise for them.”

 

The threat shook the younger man. He reached into his pocket and handed Hujin his phone. He silently thanked his past self for deciding to delete any pictures he had taken of Heechul and his contacts from his original phone book, including Jiyong.

 

“I know you’ve grown fond of Heechul. So, if I were you I would think very carefully about my actions from now on. Am I making myself clear?”

 

Seunghyun blinked up at the imposing man.

 

“Crystal, sir.”

 

“Good.”

 

Hujin lightly patted his assistant's cheek and smiled at him.

 

“You’re a good guy, Seunghyun. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

The CEO left the room, prompting Seunghyun to ignore what he was just told and bolt to his car so he could reach Jiyong as fast as possible. He made it back to the Keun building in record time. His car screeched to a hault in the garage and he stumbled out, not bothering to close the door behind him before he busted through the back entrance and raced towards Jiyong’s office. He didn’t bother knocking. Instead he just barreled through the heavy door. Luckily for him, Taeyang, Seungri and Daesung were also in Jiyong’s office.

 

They instantly saw how out of breath Seunghyun was and how much he was sweating. Jiyong stood up from behind his desk and made his way briskly around the wooden surface to check on his friend who was now bent over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath he had lost on the way over.

 

“Seunghyun, are you okay?”

 

The concern in Jiyong’s voice was evident, causing Taeyang, Seungri and Daesung to approach also. Seunghyun took a moment before standing up straight and taking one last deep breath and letting it out through persed lips. He nodded eventually, prompting Jiyong to lead him over to the couch next to the fireplace and sit down next to him. The others followed.

 

“Take your time.”

 

Seunghyun blinked slowly and looked at his friend.

 

“It’s fucked up. It’s so fucked up.”

 

Jiyong felt his chest tighten. He had never seen his friend so panicked before. Seunghyun's words even managed to rattle Seungri who exchanged a worried glance with Daesung. Taeyang watched Seunghyun carefully.

 

“This morning Hujin left his office unlocked so I went down to the basement… and…”

 

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

 

Jiyong placed his delicate hand on Seunghyun’s shoulder.

 

“It’s Heechul. He’s different… He… His hair is dark and he’s being forced to watch this- this giant screen full of static.”

 

Taeyang furrowed his brow at how bizarre Seunghyun’s description sounded.

 

“He was wearing headphones and when I listened to what they were playing it was this loud voice repeating shit like ‘GD is bad’ and ‘You are home.’ He was just staring straight ahead and I tried, but I couldn’t snap him out of it, Ji.”

 

“He’s brainwashing him.”

 

Daesung stated, sadness etched into his voice. Jiyong visibly flinched.

 

“I don’t… I don’t understand.”

 

“Tomorrow, Hujin is holding a press conference outside the compound entrance. He didn’t say what it will be about, but it's no doubt something to do with what he’s been doing to Heechul. He called a meeting this morning with Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and their crew. They’re all going to be there as added security.”

 

Seunghyun turned and looked into Jiyong’s eyes.

 

“He took my phone, Ji. So I couldn’t tell Teuk or Kyu what I saw.”

 

Taeyang looked at Jiyong and saw his friend blinking as he was processing what he was being told. His smooth face furrowed between his eyebrows, the gears turning behind them.

 

“Okay… Okay. It sounds like Hujin is expecting us to show up. Hence, the extra security. So... let’s put them to use.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Taeyang asked.

 

“I mean, let’s go to the press conference.”


	16. The Press Conference

Part 2

Chapter 5

The Press Conference

 

A podium was set up at the top of the steps leading up to the Hujin compound entrance. A crowd was already gathered of press, business men and women and curious citizens. Next to the podium stood Yesung and Siwon. Donghae and Eunhyuk were situated further down into the crowd. And of course there were more of Hujin’s men dispersed around the vicinity. A number of news vans belonging to the reporters were parked behind the crowd, giving the perfect cover for the dark car that was parked between two of those vans. Inside this car sat Jiyong and Taeyang. Seungri and Daesung were also dispersed somewhere in the crows unbeknownst to anybody outside the Keun family. They kept in contact through earpieces.

 

He stood just inside the door, away from public view and waited for his boss. It didn’t take long for Leeteuk and Kyuhyun to appear.

 

“He’s on the way.”

 

Leeteuk informed Seunghyun. When the assistant only nodded, the older Hujin brother sensed his unease.

 

“You know something, don’t you? I saw you yesterday during the meeting. You looked like a ghost you were so pale.”

 

Seunghyun looked at the two brothers and once again only nodded before he heard his name being called. It was Hujin.

 

“Excuse me.”

 

The tall man disappeared, leaving the two brothers to glance out at the crowd. There were so many people.

 

“I don’t like it, hyung.”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“Me too, Kyu. Something isn’t right. Seunghyun is acting so strange. Do you think it has something to do with Chullie?”

 

Leeteuk hesitated.

 

“Probably”

 

Suddenly their father came through the double doors.

 

“Ah, boys. Here you are.”

 

He threw his arms around both of them at once.

 

“Are you ready?”

 

Neither of them answered.

 

“It’s show time!”

 

Outside, Jiyong watched through black tinted windows as Hujin emerged out onto the podium with his two sons. Immediately the cameras began to click and flash.

 

“Hujin, Leeteuk, Kyuhyun. Nobody else. No Seunghyun.”

 

The Keun family members heard the youngest members’ voice through their earpieces. He was the closest one to the podium.

 

“I see at least four guards from my position.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Jiyong confirmed. The Hujin CEO stepped up to the mic, his two sons standing beside him.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, members of the press, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to come here on this beautiful day. I’m sure you all know that I’ve been absent from my administrative position for several months. Many have assumed that this absence was due to the outcome of a certain high profile trial that took place late last year. While I admit, yes, that was partly responsible for me taking some time off, it is not the full story.”

 

Leeteuk glanced at his little brother, who was himself just staring at his father as he spoke. Shindong glanced out over the sea of people, trying to gauge their reactions. Every now and then a few clicks were heard as a photograph was taken.

 

“Still no sign of Seunghyun.”

 

Seungri updated his crew before the man at the podium continued.

 

“Eight months ago I was contacted by an anonymous person who said that they had something of mine. They told me that it had been in their posession for a very long time and that they were willing to finally return it to me.”

 

This time, it was Kyuhyun who turned to his older brother.

 

“What the fuck is he talking about?”

 

He whispered. Leeteuk was the one now staring at his father.

 

“At first, I just brushed it off as a random instance of attempted blackmail. That is until this person started to bring up some very personal information about my family.”

 

Hujin then turned to Leeteuk and Kyuhyun, smiling fakely at them.

 

“You all know my two sons; Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. They’ve been generously taking care of operations in my absence.”

 

This sentence garnered an applause from the crowd. If Jiyong and the rest of the Keun family didn’t know any better, they would swear that Hujin was actually a kind man and a good father. The two brothers bowed modestly at the clapping. Hujin turned back to the press with a more serious expression.

 

“It is now that I must confess a secret that has plagued my family for more than twenty years.”

 

Jiyong, Taeyang, Seungri, Daesung, Leeteuk, Kyuhyun and Shindong all held their breath as they waited for the words yet to come from Hujin’s mouth. Scattered around the crowd and up on the podium stood the Hujin family members, who felt like they were being betrayed with every word uttered by this man.

 

“I have another son.”

 

The sound of voices came fast and loud. The reporters held out their microphones and shouted Hujin’s name. Security pushed forward immediately at the overwhelming surge of activity. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun looked at eachother in disbelief. Donghae and Eunhyuk were speechless as were Siwon and Yesung. Jiyong squeezed the steering wheel of the car so tight his knuckles were turning white. Taeyang let his head fall back against the passenger seat head rest, not believing what he was hearing. Daesung and Seungri just watched the commotion unfold around them.

 

Once the voices started to lower as the crowd settled, Hujin continued.

 

“He was taken from the hospital right after he was born. My wife and I were informed that if we told anybody he would be killed. So we did what we were told, forced to live as if nothing had happened. There was no contact. Not even a ransom. We thought he was dead for the last twenty years.”

 

Kyuhyun clenched his fists tight, drawing blood from the pressure of his nails against his palms. Leeteuk placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder, himself feeling like his skull was being crushed by the weight of his father’s lies.

 

“That is until eight months ago.”

 

The CEO took a deep breath before leaning forward to the mic.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to meet my son, Heechul.”

 

He turned and signaled into the darkness of the entrance way. The crowd pushed forward and chatter began as Seunghyun emerged, guiding Heechul beside him. He was walking slowly and leaning on his better leg. No amount of mind manipulation could make a person forget physical pain. They made it to the podium beside Hujin and Seunghyun let go of the boy’s shoulders, leaving Heechul to stand there quietly looking down. Kyuhyun immediately stepped forward, but was stopped by Leeteuk grabbing his wrist. The older brother was shaking and staring through cloudy eyes at the man in front of everyone. He could barely recognise him. His dark hair was styled on top of his head with neatly shaved back and sides. He wore a white shirt with no collar and black suit pants. You would find it difficult to tell that he had been locked away for the last twenty seven years and visciously abused, only for the tired look on his face and the darkness in his eyes.

 

Siwon and Yesung, who were up beside the podium too were completely shocked. They stared at Heechul, trying to figure out if he was real or not. Donghae and Eunhyuk did their best to look through the crowd up at the secret that had been kept from them all these years.

 

Jiyong couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Was this the Heechul he’d spent the last year keeping company with his voice? His eyes were glued to the man who stood up at the podium.

 

As all of this was happening, cameras were flashing and reporters were holding out their microphones, trying to get their questions heard. Heechul glanced up and looked out at all of the flashing in front of him. Seunghyun could sense his breathing picking up and saw the nervous look in his eye. He took his hand and tightened his grip to help calm him down.

 

“Sir.”

 

The assistant said to his boss who seemed to be caught up with all the camera flashes to notice his son becoming uneasy with being bombarded like this. Eventually he turned at Seunghyun’s words and saw how Heechul was reacting so he raised his hands and stepped to the mic.

 

“Okay. Everybody, please. He’s been through a lot. We’d appreciate it if you gave him some space. Please.”

 

“He’s treating him like he’s some animal on display!”

 

Jiyong spat through gritted teeth. Taeyang could feel the man sitting next to him begin to heat up and tremble with anger. He half expected the windows to fog up.

 

Once security was able to quieten down the crowd again, Hujin motioned to Seunghyun. His assistant had to reluctantly pry his hand out of Heechul’s and gently ushered him towards the podium. He could feel the resistence and it broke his heart. When he was close enough, Hujin rested his palm behind his son’s back and pulled him to stand right beside him. He threw his heavy arm around his shoulder and looked out into the crowd, smiling for the dozens of cameras that were flashing at this monumental moment. Leeteuk watched as his father towered over his brother, almost crushing him. Heechul could barely stand, no matter how much he was groomed for this day.

 

“Well son, say hello to the people.”

 

Now that the people in the crowd could get a good look at him, the drastic differences between him and his two brothers became more evident. His skin was about three shades paler, his body language was closed off and timid comapred to the confidence usually displayed by Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. And he would rarely look up from the ground. But now he had to. 

 

Heechul slowly looked up to show his face. His expression was blank. 

 

“Hello. My name is Heechul.”

 

Instantly the reporters microphones returned and questions were shouted up at the poor boy. Hujin raised his hand again.

 

“Okay, okay. One question at a time. You.”

 

He pointed at one reporter who cleared her throat before speaking.

 

“Heechul, welcome home. But I just have to ask. Where have you been all this time? What happened to you?”

 

Seunghyun suddenly thought back to the basement and the words that were being blasted into the man’s head. Heechul hesitated, causing Hujin to look down at him and smile.

 

“It’s alright, son. Remember how we practiced?”

 

His son looked up at him when he felt his father’s grip tighten around his shoulder. He saw the fake smile and the static began to cloud his vision. He then heard the words in his head.

 

“I was taken as a baby and kept far away."

 

The next reporter was chosen from the chaos.

 

“What kind of place? Who took you?”

 

Heechul’s eyes were glazed as he was now staring straight ahead and only saying what he had been made believe for the last week.

 

“It was dark and cold and they wouldn't let me leave.”

 

The crowd was silent as they listened to his heart crushing words. The saddest part was that it was all true, but Heechul spoke without emotion. Like a robot. Like he hadn’t felt any of it.

 

“And the second part of the question, Heechul.”

 

The boy felt his father’s booming rattle in his chest, causing him to look back up at the reporter who had originally asked. The reporter saw Heechul’s pain-filled eyes and almost regretted asking in the first place.

 

“I-I’m sorry, I can’t remember the-”

 

Heechul began before being interrupted by Hujin’s threatening and low voice.

 

“Who took you?”

 

Leeteuk and Kyuhyun had no idea what was about to happen. What could their brother possibly say? Seunghyun felt his stomach drop. He knew exactly what he was going to say.

 

“Keun.”

 

That’s all it took for absolute chaos to erupt. Flashing cameras, screaming reporters and security bracing themselves.

 

“Son of a bitch!”

 

Jiyong slammed his hand on the steering wheel before reaching down into a bag.

 

“I’ve had enough! We’re getting him out of there! Everybody, move in.”

 

“Copy!”

 

Immediately, two objects dropped onto the step beside the podium. Nobody was given time to react before they exploded and smoke began to cloud the area. Seunghyun instantly knew what was happening and pushed Hujin forward, sending him tumbling over the podium. The smoke had distracted the Hujin family members beside him so he took the opportunity to place his mask over his face and pick up Heechul who had fallen to the ground. At this stage, Seungri and Daesung had made their way up beside him. They each took the Hujin boy and began to guide him down and around behind the vans, out of sight. The smoke began to clear and Hujin held up his sleeve to his face coughing through the fabric. He picked up the mic and screamed.

 

“They’ve taken my boy again!”

 

He scanned the area and eventually made out two black-clad figures bringing his son around the crowd.

 

“There! Over there!”

 

Yesung took out his gun and started firing towards the black car that he saw was waiting for Heechul to be brought to.  And then there was just a sea of bullets being fired. Jiyong had run around in front of Seungri and Daesung so that he could protect Heechul from any bullets coming his way. Kyuhyun and Leeteuk remained beside their father, but were opening fire down towards the ‘masked kidnappers’. Taeyang was the one who was returning fire with them so at least he could distract them from adding any additional bullets to Jiyong and Heechul’s direction. Seunghyun had made his way around the back of the car and was firing at Donghae and Eunhyuk. Eventually Daesung and Seungri were able to get Heechul into the back of the large car. Jiyong glanced behind him and once he confirmed that Heechul was safely in the car he gave the order to return.

 

“We have him! Let’s get out of here!”

 

Taeyang fired one last barrage shot towards Donghae and Eunhyuk causing them to take cover. He was able to jump into drivers seat and start the engine. Seungri and Daesung fired up towards the Hujin brother’s and Hujin himself, causing them to duck and fire blindly. They jumped into the passanger seats also. Seunghyun backed up towards the door and jumped in beside Heechul who had at this stage passed out.

 

“Come on, Ji!”

 

Yesung watched Siwon looking at Hujin who had a graze mark on his shoulder. He glanced at the car and fired three more shots blindly before he ran out of ammo.

 

As Jiyong just reached the door of the back seat he felt a strong sting in his abdomen. He fell back against the rear tire and let out a pained breath before pushing himself up and crashing against Seunghyun in the backseat.

 

“Go! Now!”

 

Seunghyun shouted at Taeyang who immediately jammed on accelarate. The car pulled away with screeching tyres and Kyuhyun and Leeteuk could only watch their brother disappear with it.

 

Inside the car, there was panic. Taeyang was concentrating on getting to their secondary safehouse as fast as possible, but it was a little further out from their compound. Seungri and Daesung were turned back into the back seat to see Seunghyun sitting in between Heechul and Jiyong at a complete loss of what to do.

 

“Shit! Ji’s been shot!”

 

Jiyong was pressing his hand into his own stomach to try to slow the bleeding. He was sweating and bleeding profusely and pressed up against Seunghyun to try to distract himself from the pain. Daesung removed the headrest of his seat and leaned back to help his boss by wiping his brow and pressing his hand over Jiyong’s own.

 

“Ji, it’s okay. Just hold on.”

 

Seunghyun reassured Jiyong and held his friend’s free hand, feeling how hard his grip was. Jiyong was breathing shallow and pained breaths, but he had just enough strength to ask one question.

 

“I-Is Heechul... okay?”

 

Seunghyun looked to his other side to see the man in question slumped over and lying in his lap. He was too weak to simply be standing let alone running through a bullet storm. He had passed out just before they reached the car so Seungri and Daesung had to carry him inside. Seunghyun looked down at his beautiful face. He looked peaceful, although he was sure his brain was nowhere near healthy right now. He turned to his friend again.

 

“He’s okay, Ji-”

 

He stopped when he felt the smaller man’s weight against him.

 

“Shit!”

 

Daesung cursed when Jiyong passed out. Seunghyun looked down at Jiyong and Heechul who were now both lying in his lap. His left hand pressed tightly against Jiyong’s wounded side and his right hand rested gently over the space in Heechul’s chest where his heart should be, wondering if the injured and bleeding boy would be able to fill that space for him.

 

Seungri glanced back at the picture behind them.

 

“You’re gonna have your work cut out for you tonight, Dae.”

 

They all were.


	17. It's Only Pain

Part 2

Chapter 6

It's Only Pain

 

 

The Hujin family compound was filled with a million different emotions. Anger. Betrayal. Shock. Sorrow. Worry. Nobody really knew what to do at this point. Nobody knew what was happening.

 

“How could you not tell us about him!?”

 

Yesung paced up and down the lounge floor. He was irrate. As were the rest of the Hujin brothers’ team.

 

“Look, it’s complicated alright?”

 

Leeteuk held out his hands, trying to reason with his crew, but at this point he wondered if that was possible. He would have felt the exact same way.

 

“So, what? You don’t trust us? How many years have we spent protecting you two, huh?”

 

Donghae stood beside Eunhyuk with his hands on his hips. The Hujin brothers were over the far side of the room, almost up against the wall.

 

“It isn’t like that. Of course we trust you. You don’t-”

 

“Is it true?”

 

They turned to Siwon who was now inside the doorway. He had been treating Hujin’s wound in his office.

 

“Is he your brother?”

 

Leeteuk looked to Kyuhyun and let out a sigh.

 

“Yes. He is our brother. But…”

 

“But?”

 

Eunhyuk repeated.

 

Sensing the brothers’ apprehension, Shindong stepped out from the dark corner of the room.

 

“I think it would be best if everyone took a seat.”

 

The next few hours were spent explaining everything. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun took turns telling their team about Heechul and how he was raised as a prisoner from when he was a baby. They explained how they were never able to tell anybody about their brother in fear of what their father might do to them or him. They also explained how guilty they felt for the last twenty years and how every time they had to come up with an excuse about why they were seen in the office at all hours it felt like they were betraying their team.

 

There was a silence in the room after Leeteuk finished speaking. It was a hell of a lot of information for them to process.

 

“So, it wasn’t the Keun Family who took him from the hospital… Hujin lied to everyone…”

 

Siwon lamented.

 

“He’s so much more sick then we thought. How could he do that to his own son?”

 

Eunhyuk wondered out loud. Nothing made sense to him at this point.

 

“Because he is more sick than you thought. That’s how.”

 

Kyuhyun explained to the martial artist.

 

“Guys, you’ve no idea how many times we wanted to take him out of there, but our father… He made it clear what would happen if we did…”

 

The Hujin team could see that their boss was recalling a distant and dark memory. Donghae sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair.

 

“Look, boss. I speak for all of us when I say that we feel betrayed. I’m not gonna lie. And it will take some time for us to get over it, but we will."

 

Leeteuk nodded at the words coming from his driver, who continued.

 

“From what you’ve told us, the whole situation was pretty fucked up. But from the little interaction I’ve had with Hujin, I absolutely believe that he could do that in a heartbeat. He’s a cruel man.”

 

“Yes, he is.”

 

Kyuhyun added and stood up, walking behind the couch and leaning forward to rest his hands on the back of the cushion.

 

“We wanted our brother to meet you all one day. Heechul, he… He’s sweet and so unlike our father.”

 

Siwon sat forward, full of determination.

 

“Then we need to find out who crashed the press conference.”

 

“Could it be Keun? I mean they did conveniently arrive as soon as they were mentioned. Regardless of it being total bullshit.”

 

Donghae asked.

 

“I’m not sure. The masks made it difficult to know for sure.”

 

Yesung commented.

 

“How would they have even known about the press conference? Or Heechul for that matter?”

 

Eunhyuk spoke up this time.

 

There was silence for a moment.

 

“Seunghyun…”

 

Shindong eventually spoke, causing Kyuhyun and Leeteuk to turn to him.

 

“No. Shin, he’s spent the last year looking after Heechul. Why would he…”

 

Leeteuk began to try to reason before trailing off.

 

“Think about it, Leeteuk. He disappeared right after the car arrived. And where is he now?”

 

Shindong continued to surmise. Leeteuk turned to his younger brother who simply looked back at him through half-lidded eyes.

 

“I figured he was with Hujin.”

 

“Siwon, when you were with the CEO was his assistant there?”

 

Shindong asked the medic who shook his head in reply.

 

“It would make sense, Teuk.”

 

Kyuhyun reluctantly agreed with his assistant.

 

“As good as he was with Heechul and even though he was the only one of father’s assistants that I actually liked… It makes too much sense to ignore.”

 

Leeteuk thought for a moment. His team just watched him silently. Eventually he leaned forward and sighed.

 

“Alright. We need to be absolutely sure before we go barging into the Keun complex. I’ll send some people over there to monitor all traffic going in and out of the place. In the meantime, Shin, I want you to keep trying to contact Seunghyun. He’ll know by now that his absence is suspicious and he either doesn’t care at this point or he got caught in the cross fire. Either way, I want him found.”

 

“I’ll keep an ear to the ground about any other gang movement in the city, in case Keun is not reponsible.”

 

Shindong added.

 

Leeteuk nodded and stood up, making his way into the middle of his men. Kyuhyun joined him.

 

“Guys, please know that both Kyuhyun and I deeply apologise for hiding the truth from you all for so long. But right now, we need you more than ever. We need you to help bring our brother back.”

 

With that, both brothers bowed to their team, asking for their forgiveness. The team looked at eachother for a few moments before standing up and returning the bow in unison.

 

Shindong smiled at the gesture. He had feared that the lie would be too big and cause them to abandon the brothers. Once everybody was standing upright again, Leeteuk nodded.

 

“Okay, let’s do this. Let’s get Heechul back.”

 

 

 

\---

 

 

 

The Keun Family’s secondary compound that they used as their safehouse was situated about an hour outside of Seoul, near a much smaller city called Suwon. It was secure and secluded, perfect for the situation that they now found themselves in. The building itself was at the edge of a wooded area and was more of a large house then a compound. It was fully furnished and constantly stocked with fresh food, but had lay empty for over twelve years. However, today six men occupied the grand home.

 

When they first arrived at the safehouse Seungri and Taeyang ran around to the backseat and picked up the Hujin boy, carrying the unconscious body of Heechul in through the spacious hallway. Daesung immediately scrambled through the door on his side and opened Seunghyun’s door. The assistant gently stepped out of the vehicle and cradled his injured friend against his chest. Jiyong was a healthy guy. He was fit and toned, but he was slight and weighed very little. Again, it didn’t help with his naturally boyish look that people suspected that he was a lot younger than he actually was. This only added to how difficult Keun had made it for him to gain the respect that he now had from everybody that worked under him.

 

When they entered the house they could hear Taeyang and Seungri’s voices coming from the far side of the expansive space. They made their way into what they could now see was some sort of living room. There was a long wrap-around couch sitting in front of a large stone fireplace. The decour was warm and Seunghyun instantly had a thought that this would be a lovely room to wake up on Christmas morning to. Heechul had been laid out on the couch and Taeyang spun around to see Seunghyun and Daesung lay Jiyong down on the other side. The medic got to work straight away by kneeling down beside his boss and ripping open his now blood soaked shirt. The wound was bleeding profusely and Daesung only had to look at it for a few seconds before he knew what to do.

 

“The bullet is still inside.”

 

He turned to the others hastily.

 

“I need you to find the medical supplies. Every safehouse should be fully equipped. I need to get the bullet out of him so look for forceps or pliers. Also anesthetic, antiseptic for the wound and towels. Lots of them. Go now!”

 

Seungri and Taeyang sped out of the room in search of the supplies. Seunghyun helped Daesung remove Jiyong’s jacket before he brought him in a basin of water and a cloth. He sat on the couch beside the injured boy and wiped the abundance of sweat from his baby face with the damp cloth, all the while glancing at Heechul to make sure he was okay.

 

“That could have went better, huh?”

 

Seunghyun quipped at the medic who was keeping an iron grip on Jiyong’s stomach, but just as he was about to comment he felt the warm body beneath him shift.

 

“Shit!”

 

He didn’t want him to wake up purely because he didn’t want him to feel any pain, but his wish was not granted. The smaller man’s brow furrowed as the pain set in. His feline eyes peeled open revealing a glassy focus in his dark orbs. Seunghyun moved closer and took his friend’s hand, squeezing it tight and feeling Jiyong’s vice like grip in return.

 

“Jiyong. You were shot. Take it easy.”

 

Seunghyun’s voice was firm, but soft and it gave the smaller man something to concentrate on as he tried to sift through pain and stumble back to reality. His eyes eventually focused on the two men looming over him.

 

“D-Did we get him?”

 

Seunghyun smiled down at him.

 

“Yes, Ji. He’s right over there.”

 

The tall man shifted back so that Jiyong could turn his head and look across to the other side of the couch where Heechul was lying unconscious. He looked so peaceful, like a baby.

 

“Is he o-okay?”

 

“He’s fine. He just passed out.”

 

Jiyong glanced up the medic.

 

“D-Dae, please. He needs attention m-m-”

 

The medic smiled warmly and placed his free hand on Jiyong’s shoulder.

 

“Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there, boss. Now you are my priority. Heechul is just sleeping, okay? You have a bullet inside you.”

 

Jiyong was just about to protest when Taeyang and Seungri returned carrying a bundle of supplies. They made their way beside the couch and dumped them on the floor beside Daesung. The medic scanned the items and went straight for the bottle of cleaning alcohol. He twisted the safety cap and kneeled poised over his boss.

 

“This is going to sting.”

 

He poured the liquid over the angry wound, causing Jiyong to immediately jolt and let out a sharp hiss. Seunghyun glanced at Taeyang with a frown. Daesung took a fresh cloth and began dabbing around the bullet hole. The feeling was excruciating, but Jiyong was doing his best to hold it together. Seunghyun watched his little friend shift as the medic prepared the wound, but out of the corner of his eye he saw movement from the far side of the couch. He turned fully to see Heechul beginning to stir. He made his way over to the boy and simply watched him shift on the soft cushions.

 

Once Daesung was satisfied that everything was ready he turned to Taeyang and held out his hand.

 

“Okay, anesthetic.”

 

Taeyang searched for the medic's request before looking back at Seungri with a questioning expression.

 

“We brought everything, Dae.”

 

Daesung looked scandalized.

 

“How can you not equip a medical kit with anesthetic? I need to go in and get the bullet. Without anesthetic it’ll be-”

 

“Dae…”

 

They looked down at the man that the voice came from. He had a tired look in his dark eyes, like he was sick of breathing.

 

“Just do i-it.”

 

“But Ji, it’s gonna hurt. A lot.”

 

The feline-like man just blinked heavily through half lids and spoke simply.

 

“There is n-no anesthetic…”

 

He was right. By now he was sweating profusely and visibly struggling. If they left the bullet inside his body any longer he risked infection. The medic thought about it only for a moment before reluctantly nodding. He reached down into the supplies and put on surgical gloves before opening up an alcohol wipe and cleaning the forceps that would soon be imbedded in Jiyong’s body. He looked about ready.

 

Seunghyun was watching Daesung prepare before he glanced back down at Heechul. He placed his hand warmly on the other man’s forehead and brushed his thumb through his dark hair, trying his best to make his transition into consciousness as smooth as possible. Pretty soon his big eyes opened slowly only about half way. Seunghyun could instantly tell that the poor boy had no idea where he was or what was happening.

 

“Heechul, it’s alright. You’re safe now. Nobody will hurt you here.”

 

Daesung kneeled up straight and held the forceps expertly in his right hand. He inspected the wound one last time before turning up to Taeyang.

 

“I need you to hold him down.”

 

The man did what he was asked and stepped up onto the couch, leaning down over Jiyong’s head. He held him by his biceps and pressed down hard. He looked down at his friend’s upside down face. Jiyong simply looked back up at him as he felt Seungri’s firm grip on his thighs on the other end of him.

 

“It’s only pain.”

 

Jiyong nodded up at his best friend’s words of encouragement. Daesung leaned over the man and held up a folded cloth to his face.

 

“Bite down on this, okay?”

 

Jiyong blinked a few times before sighing and opening his mouth, taking the fabric between his teeth. Seungri adjusted himself on Jiyong’s lower half and braced himself, as if he was going to be the one being operated on. Daesung moved up right beside his patient and held the cool metal an inch over his skin before stopping and looking down at him.

 

“Are you ready?”

 

Heechul blearily blinked up at Seunghyun, the man’s words from before not fully reaching him. His mind was so hazy and he was finding it extremely difficult to make it through to the other side. Seunghyun felt his heart break at how innocent and confused Heechul was. He’d spent the last two years almost with this boy and he had never seen him look more vulnerable. He was brought out of his thoughts and snapped his head back towards the other side of the couch. A chill ran through his body at the sight that met him. Taeyang and Seungri pinning Jiyong down against the couch while Daesung shoved a metal pliers inside of him was an image he knew he would never be able to get out of his mind. The young man’s body was strained and shifting and Seunghyun could see how hard Taeyang and Seungri had to hold him down from the whiteness to their knuckles. Jiyong’s eyes were shut tight and his jaw was clamped over the fabric between his teeth. Sweat shone and dripped down his face and his hands were balled into fists as Daesung expertly searched for the lead bullet that was buried deep into Jiyong’s flesh.

 

“Ah, I feel it.”

 

The medic said to himself, his forceps meeting resistence and hitting against the bullet. The pain shot through Jiyong’s body like the bullet had originally, causing him to scream behind the cloth in his mouth. His muffled voice was dripping in agony and Seunghyun instinctively rested his hand over Heechul’s body where Jiyong’s wound roughly was.

 

“Jiyong…”

 

He spoke sadly and softly and the only person that heard him in the room was right beside him. Heechul recognised that name and managed to focus on the man above him. He saw where Seunghyun’s eyes were focused and turned his head so he could follow his gaze. His cheek hit the cushion and he just watched the man across from him writhing in pain. He felt his chest begin to hitch, a heavy feeling rising inside him.

 

“Ji… Stop h-hurting… J- Not… b-bad…”

 

Seunghyun looked back down at Heechul when he heard his low and weak voice. He remembered the words blasting from the headphones used to brainwash him. This must be him fighting and trying to convince himself that Jiyong was his friend. He felt his own eyes get cloudy as he was overcome with the emotions of having his best friend beside him in such pain and also of the boy below him having this be the first time for him to see him in person.

 

After a few more moments of digging, Daesung managed to get a good grip on the bullet before he began to pull it back through the path it had left. Once the metal was fully removed from Jiyong’s body, the medic dropped it in a bowl and saw that the wound was bleeding profusely down over Jiyong's side and the belt of his trousers. He set down the pliers and once again brought a cloth up to cover the wound and applied pressure. He took the time now to survey Jiyong’s condition. He was absolutely saturated in sweat, his black shirt destroyed. His skin was deathly pale and his face now unmoving. He reached up and took the cloth from his mouth and noticed that his lips stayed parted.

 

“Ji, can you hear me?”

 

It took a few moments, but he weakly and slowly nodded. He held the back of his palm against his boss’ forehead. He was freezing.

 

“He’s lost a lot of blood.”

 

The medic remarked, a hint of worry in his tone. He put that aside for a moment and focused on stitching up the still open wound. The blood was a little difficult to work through, but Jiyong’s more sluggish state made it easier to pay attention to what he was doing without trying to avoid making mistakes from his boss’ movements. Taeyang and Seungri didn’t really need to be holding Jiyong down at this point, but honestly they just wanted to hold him in any way they could to let him know that they were with him. So many times Jiyong had been hurt right in front of them and no matter how much they wanted to take him in their arms and look after him, they never could. Now, at least, they could help keep him warm.

 

At this stage Heechul’s mind had won battle and dragged him back into the darkness of his messed up head. His eyes were closed and despite him looking like a young boy who had fallen asleep after spending the whole day outside playing, Seunghyun knew that behind those round eyes and soft face was a deep and terrifying black hole. He vowed to do whatever he could to help him out of his nightmare, but right now his best friend was also in a dark place so he gently brushed the hair away from Heechul’s forehead before turning and making his way back over to Jiyong.

 

Daesung had just finished with the last stitch and was cutting the end with a surgical scissors. Seunghyun took in the sight of his friend. Jiyong was a mess. Dry blood stained his entire abdomen and most of the cushion he was lying on. His eyes were barely open and he was making these scary groaning noises.

 

“Ji?”

 

He moved closer, right next to the couch. His chest tightened and he felt a genuine worry for the boy. He didn’t look good.

 

“Dae, what’s wrong with him?”

 

The medic let out a sigh and rubbed his now de-gloved hand through his hair.

 

“I managed to get the bullet out, but it caused some major blood loss. I’ll need to monitor him very closely for the next few hours.”

 

Taeyang finally let go of his best friend’s shoulders only to bend forward and take his face in his hands. He held it up and studied his features. The boy’s eyes stared up at him half-lidded, completely unfocused. He looked like he was ten years old again, completely innocent. He really was way too young to be put in this situation. They all were. Taeyang blinked several times causing a tear to fall down and land on Jiyong’s forehead. The boy’s brow furrowed slightly at the feeling and the corner of his lip curled. He felt a short breath of air hit his face.

 

“I-It’s only… pain.”

 

Jiyong whispered before letting his head fall the side. The last image he saw was of a beautiful and familiar boy lying across from him before he felt that ever so unwelcome darkness consume him.


	18. The Medic

He shot up like a spring trap. His eyes snapped open and he found himself alone in a dark room. Immediately dread filled his heart, but as his eyes got used to the soft lighting he felt the heavy feeling begin to lift. This room was not bare, it was not cold, it was not dirty. The spaciousness was warm and there was a large window right across from him which was covered by a thin orange curtain, but he could tell it was bright outside, leaving a nice glow over the homey walls. He scanned the space with a child-like curiousity, bringing his focus down to the soft fabric that his palms were resting against behind him. He brushed his thumb along the light purple fabric. It felt so soft which was something so foreign to him.

 

All of a sudden the door opened slowly. He gently scooted back against the headboard of the bed as he watched the man step through. The familiar face helped to calm him somewhat and he felt himself let the breath out that he had been holding.

 

It was Seunghyun. He smiled and quietly closed the door behind him before hesitantly approaching the other man. He stopped before he reached the bed, keeping plenty of space between them. He did his best to look as non-threatening as possible. The boy that sat on the bed looked like he would shatter if he was touched, just blinked up at the taller man.

 

“S-Seunghyun?”

 

Seunghyun smiled. He recognised him.

 

“Yes, Heechul. It’s me.”

 

He took a step closer. Heechul didn’t seem to notice, only furrowing his brow and bringing a hand up to his head. Seunghyun could tell that the smaller man was doing his best to make sense of everything.

 

“I don… I-”

 

Seunghyun continued to approach the boy, feeling more sorry for him with every step. Heechul had his head in his hands now and was gripping his hair tightly. Seunghyun reached his bedside and slowly reached forward to place his hand on the other man’s arm. He gently pulled at his arm, causing him to remove his hands from his face and reveal tear soaked eyes.

 

“Heechul…”

 

Seunghyun felt a lump in his throat at the sight.

 

“I’m so confused.”

 

Heechul explained to the taller man and continued to let the warm tears fall down his face. Seunghyun sat down on the edge of the bed and took the boy’s soft hand.

 

“I know you are and I can’t imagine what it’s like in your head right now, but Heechul, I’m going to help you. We all are.”

 

He felt the grip in his hand slacken slightly.

 

“W-We?”

 

Seunghyun knew that Heechul’s brain was put through a washing machine and his perception of the world had been altered, so he needed to approach this carefully.

 

“Yes. Me and Jiyong and our friends.”

 

Heechul’s glassy eyes made their way to the other man’s face.

 

“Seunghyun, where are we?”

 

Seunghyun hesitated.

 

“We’re in a Keun Family safehouse.”

 

The grip in his hand completely loosened and Heechul visibly flinched. His breathing picked up as he clung onto the material of his trousers.

 

“N-No. I can’t be here. I have to go home.”

 

“No, Heechul. You don’t. You know what will happen.”

 

The other boy wasn’t listening. He pressed back against the headboard, trying to get as far away as possible.

 

“Keun is bad. GD is bad. I need to go home.”

 

Seunghyun hated to do it, but he reached forward and pressed his palm against Heechul’s chest, holding him in place. He could feel his heart beating frantically and his rib cage rattle with every shallow breath. But other than that, he was frozen.

 

“You need to listen to me, Heechul. Your father brainwashed you. He made you believe that the Keun Family and G-Dragon are evil. But you know better than that.”

 

Heechul blinked back at the man through furrowed brows.

 

“This is going to be hard for you, but I want you to think back to all that time you spent in that dark, miserable fucked up place.”

 

He felt like he was hurting Heechul in doing this when he saw the confused and pain-filled expression on his face, but he needed to snap him out of it.

 

“Hujin put you there. Your father put you down there. He hurt you and left you with no chance of a future. For twenty seven years, Heechul.”

 

Heechul didn’t say anything. The gears in his head were turning faster than ever before.

 

“But I want you to focus on the last year. Think about all those times your father beat you within an inch of your life and think about who was there with you afterwards. Even if it was just to talk you through it.”

 

The boy on the bed blinked through the haze and a different voice began to overpower the voice that had been blasting through his brain. It was smooth and low and it made his heart warm up.

 

“Ji…”

 

Seunghyun smiled.

 

“That’s right. Jiyong.”

 

Heechul’s hand gripped the fabric of his black trousers harder.

 

“Ji… G… GD… is bad…”

 

Seunghyun’s hatred for Hujin was at an all time high in this very moment. The poor boy sitting in front of him was broken almost beyond repair. But the light in his eyes that formed when he remembered Jiyong’s voice motivated Seunghyun to keep pushing. He scooted about an inch closer to Heechul.

 

“No, Jiyong is not bad. He cares about you, Heechul. So much. He spent a whole year next to you even though he couldn’t physically be there beside you. He’s the reason we were able to rescue you. He’s the reason you’re here right now. And he…”

 

Seunghyun hesitated as he thought back to the image of his friend having a bullet painfully removed from his abdomen.

 

“He’s in the next room right now with a hole in his stomach because a member of your so-called family shot him. He’s fighting for his own life right now just like he had been fighting for yours all that time. Now, he’s the one who needs your help… I need your help…”

 

He trailed off and let his hand fall away from Heechul’s chest, just letting it sit against his own thigh. He looked down at the light purple fabric of the blanket before he closed his eyes and let the hopelessness of the whole situation come to the forefront of his thoughts. It was like his mind was soft white sand and the events of the past year and all of the emotions that he had felt along with them was the jet blak sea washing over the sand with every wave. And he felt like he was getting carried away by the tide into a giant storm on the horizon.

 

Then he felt a warmth in his open hand. He looked up to see a soft hand in his, delicate fingers curled around his own. He looked up along his arm to the other man’s face. His soft features finally looked relaxed.

 

“You were with me too. Don’t forget that. I won’t…”

 

Heechul’s words lit up Seunghyun’s heart and instantly cleared the storm in his head. Seunghyun smiled, causing the boy to do the same, albeit shyly.

 

“T-Thank you, Seunghyun.”

 

Seunghyun nodded and rested his other hand around their grip.

 

“You’re safe now.”

 

Just then, there was a knock on the door and it opened after a few seconds. Daesung peeked his head through.

 

“Ah, Daesung. How is Jiyong?”

 

Seunghyun asked.

 

The medic stepped fully into the room to reveal that he was holding a medical bag. He smiled sheepishly.

 

“He’s doing better now that I was able to get some fluids into him.”

 

Heechul felt the grip in his hand tighten as Seunghyun was told the good news. Daesung brought the bag in front of him and held the handle with both hands.

 

“He insisted that I take a look at our lost boy here.”

 

“Of course he would insist.”

 

Seunghyun turned to Heechul and reassured him.

 

“Daesung has been the family medic for over eight years. He’ll take care of you. You'll like him.”

 

Heechul only blinked back before glancing up at the medic.

 

“Don’t worry. Jiyong just wants to be safe.”

 

Seunghyun added, causing Heechul to nod slowly and watch Daesung approach him. He was apprehensive, no matter how much Seunghyun talked him up. He only judged people’s character based on how they treated him. Luckily, Daesung instantly gave off a kind vibe as he sat on the other side of the bed. He didn’t move to touch the boy or remove anything from him. Instead, he simply smiled at him.

 

“Do I have your permission to touch you?”

 

This surprised Heechul who was momentarily lost for words. He was never asked for permission before.

 

“I-I… y-yes.”

 

Daesung nodded gratefully and slowly reached down to man’s wrist. He delicately held the smooth skin between his thumb and index finger, checking his pulse. Heechul glanced up at Seunghyun during the few moments of silence it took the medic. Seunghyun just watched him silently. Daesung looked at his watch before placing Heechul’s arm back down on his lap and making some notes. He then reached into his bag and took out a stetascope.

 

“Can you undo the top few buttons of your shirt for me?”

 

Heechul wordlessly sat forward and did as he was asked, albeit slowly. He opened the white material enough for the medic to slide the cool metal over the other man’s heart. Seunghyun began to think about how good of a doctor this man was. Only a few hours ago he had to be aggressive and hurt Jiyong in order to save him. He had to cause him pain for his own good. But now, he had to change his approach and be as gentle and delicate as possible because the boy that he was dealing with now, although he was used to pain, he was not used to a violent lifestyle. Jiyong had been dragged up kicking and screaming. He had hurt people and trained himself to not let it affect him and distract him from his work. Heechul, on the other hand, never had a chance to experience any kind of life other than pain. Daesung was a great judge of character and knew how to treat his patients appropriately.

 

“Okay, deep breath in.”

 

He held the stetascope against Heechul’s chest and rested the palm of his other hand on the boy’s back. As Heechul breathed in, the medic could tell that he did not have the steadiest of breaths, nor a great lung capacity. He couldn’t breathe in for long without needing to release the breath. He surmised that the basement he had been kept in did not have a good quality of air and little, if not any filtration. After a few more shaky breaths, Daesung removed the instrument from the boy’s skin.

 

“I need to take a look at your body, if that’s okay with you.”

 

Heechul glanced to Seunghyun before nodding shyly.

 

“Great. Now, to do that I’m going to need you to remove your shirt and pants.”

 

Daesung had thought that the boy would have a problem exposing his skin, but he had lived for so long with little clothing that it almost felt more strange for him to be wearing a shirt. He had never actually worn a full outfit before the press conference. So Heechul sat forward and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, reaching forward and unbuttoning the rest of his white shirt, letting it fall away from his body. He scooted, falling forward so that he was standing. It took a minute for him to figure out how to unbuckle his belt, but he eventually managed and stepped out of his black suit pants, leaving him in only his black boxers. He looked down at the medic as if to ask was it okay.

 

“Thank you. You can sit back up on the bed.”

 

The boy did as he was asked and Daesung took a step towards him to inspect his condition. Seunghyun sat from the other side of the bed just watching the medic work. He watched Daesung’s face react to every scar and new sign of past trauma that he discovered on the boy’s thin body. The medic carefully took in every detail with grace and respect, understanding what his situation had been like.

 

“Heechul, have you ever been treated by a medical professional?”

 

The Hujin boy blinked back at the medic.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Daesung felt a slight crack in his heart.

 

“I mean, did anybody like me ever help you before? After your father would hurt you.”

 

Heechul’s brow furrowed as he shook his head.

 

“Just my brothers and Shindong. And Seunghyun.”

 

Daesung let out a quiet breath and looked at Seunghyun. He sat on the bed beside Heechul and took him by the shoulder, gently pulling him forward so that he could get a good look at his back. He instantly frowned at the sight of numerous long scars spanning the entirety of the boy’s skin. He brought his hand up to brush against the rough scar tissue and along the curvature of Heechul’s spinal chord.

 

“Those are from when Jiyong took over control from Keun…”

 

Heechul explained the reason for the lash marks across his back. Seunghyun exchanged a sad glance with Daesung.

 

“He said that competition would be a lot tougher with ‘that crazy kid’ in charge.”

 

Daesung was fascinated by this boy. He had always held any member of the Hujin family with little esteem, but this secret son was so soft and gentle. He felt the need to protect him from the moment he heard his voice.

 

The medic sat forward and jumped down to a kneeling position in front of Heechul. He looked at the boy’s legs, noticing that his left knee looked misshapen compared to his right. He wrapped both hands around the kneecap and squeezed, applying as little pressure as he could. Heechul visibly flinched.

 

“Does it hurt?”

 

Heechul nodded.

 

“It’s been broken a few times.”

 

“Okay, I’ll see to it about getting you a cane.”

 

Daesung eventually stood up and did one last look up and down of the boy’s body. He wrote down a few more things in his notes.

 

“What’s the verdict, Dae?”

 

Seunghyun asked the medic.

 

“Well, the lack of medical treatment bothers me. He’s had so many breaks that weren’t let heal properly and they’ve reset wrong. Most notably his knee and to the point where it still bothers him.”

 

Daesung looked back down at Heechul’s size and frame.

 

“Heechul, you’re very small for a man your age. Your father and brother’s are quite tall so I’m putting it down entirely to malnourishment.”

 

Seunghyun immediately thought about Jiyong’s tiny size and the scars on his back being so similar to the ones on Heechul’s. They had so many depressing and unfortunate similarities.

 

“Have you ever been given any medication or been exposed to any narcotics? Something that I wouldn’t be able to see now?”

 

Heechul took a few moments to think back. Seunghyun did the same and answered when he noticed the other boy's lack of response.

 

"He was forced to take cocaine last year."

 

Daesung was surprised, but nodded sadly as to not make Heechul uncomfortable. He turned to the boy, directly addressing him now.

 

“Okay. How much would you say?”

 

“Uh… I don’t… it was in a gym bag. I c-couldn’t measure the amount.”

 

“That’s alright. Do you remember how you felt at the time?”

 

Heechul did his best to sift through the haze that he remembered most.

 

“My stomach hurt… I was hot and cold at the same time… I couldn’t breathe right…”

 

Daesung wrote in his notes before looking back up to the boy.

 

“Heechul, it sounds like you were overdosing. You could have easily died.”

 

The boy only nodded in response. What else could he do? Seunghyun remembered not being let into the basement when that incident had happened and how guilty Kyuhyun had felt.

 

“Have you been given any more cocaine since then or felt any cravings?”

 

“No.”

 

He simply answered.

 

“That’s good.”

 

Daesung looked at Heechul’s face and reached up to brush his hand along the boy’s scalp, feeling for any scars or abnormalities. There were numerous scars, but nothing that worried the medic so he brought his hands back to his own lap.

 

“Heechul, I’m aware of your recent reconditioning in preparation for your father’s press conference. I know this whole experience has been extrememly confusing and scary for you, but you are coping so much better than people I’ve seen go through a lot less. You should be proud of yourself.”

 

The Hujin boy nodded shyly.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I’ll be here to help you recover and get you to a condition where you can decide what you want to do, but for now I want you to rest. Is that okay?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Daesung smiled at him and warmly placed his hand on his shoulder.

 

“Great. Now, I’ll work on getting you that cane.”

 

The medic stood and gathered his things back in his bag. Seunghyun stood up and bowed to the medic.

 

“Thanks, Dae.”

 

“No problem. I’m going to go back to check on Ji. Maybe now he’ll let me actually do my job!”

 

They both laughed before the medic disappeared. Seunghyun turned back around to see Heechul struggling to fasten his belt again. He stepped forward and reached for the leather.

 

“Let me.”

 

Heechul looked up for a moment before dropping his own hands to his side and letting the taller man secure the belt in place. Seunghyun then reached down to take the boy’s white shirt in his hands. He walked behind Heechul and held out the shirt for Heechul to slide his arms into. He left it open and turned to Seunghyun.

 

“You’re right. I do like him.”


	19. Red Blood

Part 2

Chapter 8

Red Blood

 

Taeyang was in the living room picking up the loose pieces of bandages and gathering the bloodied tools together. He carried them over to the kitchen and threw the metallic items in the sink, filling it up with warm water and adding the washing up liquid. The bubbles formed quickly over the base of the water, masking the horrors within. For a moment he could just pretend that he was going to wash the dishes after the family had a giant feast together. But as he shoved his hand into the suds and pulled out the scalpel, his fantasy disappeared. He ran his hands around the object, caressing the metal and allowing the blood to mix with the water and drip through his fingers. The diluted crimson almost felt hot only because it had come from Jiyong, his best friend. Once the scalpel was clean he held it in front of him and looked at it for a moment before sighing and placing it on the drying tray. He continued to wash the other tools that Daesung had used on his friend until they were all clean. He gave them a final spray with disinfectant and gathered them up in his hands before making his way back into the living room.

 

He stopped when he saw somebody sitting on the couch. It was the Hujin boy.

 

Taeyang moved closer cautiously, setting the tools back in the medic’s bag and once he got close enough he could see that the boy was staring down at the blood that was dried into the soft fabric of the couch. Taeyang reached the nearest clean cushion which was opposite the other man and sat down quietly.

 

So this was the boy who Jiyong got shot for?

 

He didn’t really know what to do. So he cleared his throat.

 

“Heechul.”

 

The Hujin boy still looked down at the blood, his only movement being his hand reaching foreward to run his fingertips along the stained fabric. Taeyang only watched in silence, giving Heechul plenty of space. It was only now that the Keun right-hand wondered why Heechul was alone, but his train of thought could’t get far.

 

“Everyone’s blood is red.”

 

Heechul spoke lowly, his voice almost inaudible. Taeyang was confused.

 

“Well, yeah….”

 

“I didn’t know that.”

 

Heechul rubbed some of Jiyong’s dried blood between his thumb and index finger, like paint. He slowly looked up at the other man and Taeyang was mesmerised by his eyes. They were big and child-like, but they looked sad and Taeyang felt the need to understand them more.

 

“How did you not know?”

 

Heechul blinked slowly before answering.

 

“I’ve never seen anyone else’s blood other than mine and my younger brother’s before now. He lied to me…”

 

Taeyang felt a lump form in his throat. 

 

“Who lied to you?”

 

“Leeteuk. My brother told me that everybody had different coloured blood. He told me that people with red blood were the sweetest and that that was why mine and Kyu’s was red.”

 

Taeyang was fascinated by this boy. He instantly felt the need to protect him. At first he was a little bit angry that he was the one that his best friend was so concerned about, but now he could definitely see why.

 

“Ji is one of the sweetest people I know. G-Dragon on the other hand, well… if he was the one Dae had cut open, you’d be rubbing black between your fingers right now.”

 

Heechul glanced up at the other man and saw him smiling across to him. The Hujin boy returned the smile and rubbed away the last of the crimson from his hand.

 

“I’m Youngbae by the way.”

 

“Heechul.”

 

“Nice to finally meet you. The last year has been a bit of a rollercoaster for us. Ever since Seunghyun discovered you.”

 

Heechul frowned a little.

 

“Rollercoaster?”

 

It didn’t even occur to Taeyang that the Hujin boy would be clueless about so many things that everybody else came across so often. Even the way the spoke was quite plain.

 

“Oh, uh, I just mean that it’s been kinda crazy around here.”

 

Heechul looked down at his hands.

 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.”

 

“Hey, no. I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just saying… I haven’t seen Ji so determined in a long time. He really cares about you.”

 

Taeyang smiled and gently patted the boy’s shoulder. Heechul smiled shyly and nodded.

 

“Is he okay? He looked….”

 

“You saw Dae working? I thought you were passed out. Man… it wasn’t pretty at all.”

 

Heechul looked down at the blood and shook his head.

 

“No, it wasn’t.”

 

Taeyang saw Heechul’s expression darken.

 

“The bullet went in pretty deep and he lost a lot of blood, but Dae said he’s doing okay now. With some rest and a close eye he should be fine.”

 

The Keun right hand watched the tension in the boy’s brow lessen. His soft face relaxed a bit and he released his shoulders.

 

“Hey.”

 

Heechul looked up at the other’s voice.

 

“I’m sorry for everything that happened to you. Nobody... nobody should ever have to live like that.”

 

The Hujin boy didn’t expect that from the other man. He didn’t know how to respond.

 

“You don’t have to-”

 

Taeyang interrupted,

 

“I want to… You’re a strong man, Heechul. You and Jiyong both.”

 

Taeyang stood up and stepped closer to the other man, placing his hand on his shoulder and smiling down at him. Heechul looked up at Taeyang’s sharp features.

 

“He’ll be okay because you are.”

 

With that, the Keun right hand left to go searching for Seungri, leaving Heechul to just lie back against the couch and let out a long breath. He smiled at Taeyang’s last words. So far, the members of the Keun family that he had met had been extremely nice to him. Now that he could think more clearly, Heechul had the feeling that these guys were close like a family. They cared about eachother and had welcomed him into their family as if he was one of their own.

 

These thoughts led him to cast his mind to his own family. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun. His brothers. He wondered about them. After the press conference he wasn’t coherent enough to think about anything other then what was happening around him, and even at that he couldn’t really figure out what it was other than screaming and panic.

 

He wondered were they even looking for him.

 

 

\---

 

 

Kyuhyun walked down the dark steps slowly and silently. Down into the pit of hell that he had so many times before. Only this time, instead of the dreaded feeling in the pit of his stomach of what he would see when he made it the bottom, it was replaced with the empty feeling of knowing that there was nobody down there anymore. As he made it to the last step he felt a slight relief on his shoulders because the fact that his brother wasn’t here meant that he wasn’t in any more pain.

 

But he missed him.

 

He walked through the door and took in the sight of the empty room. It was dark as always. He didn’t bother turning on the weak light, he just heavily stepped across the room, letting the damp and horrible atmoshpere that this space would forever hold seep into his bones. He deserved it he thought. The years old blood still stained the cold cement floor and dyed the grey walls a dark crimson, almost black to look at. The boy stood beside the sorry excuse for a mattress in the corner and looked down at the sharp springs that jutted out through the thin material. He lowered down and sat on his brother’s old sleeping space. He instantly felt how uncomfortable it was. It was almost painful to touch. How did Heechul ever manage to fall asleep on this thing? Kyuhyun now realised why his brother opted to lie on the floor instead.

 

He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, letting his chin sit on his arms. And then he just stayed like this. For how long he didn’t know. He didn’t care. He just wanted to put himself in his brother’s place for a while. This was the the first time he was down here alone. He could feel the loneliness in the air after only a few minutes, he had a difficult time imagining enduring it for twenty seven years. He let the sadness in his chest consume his whole body. He hated himself in this moment. He should have done something as soon as he realised that what was happening was wrong. He had always believed what his father had told him. Heechul was hurt because he was misbehaving, but Kyuhyun began to notice that his brother was being hurt when he didn’t do anything at all. And even then, he told himself that it was somehow okay because it was his father telling him so. But when he would come down and see Heechul in much worse conditions he felt the voice in his head getting louder.

 

‘This is wrong.’

 

The first time he went to Leeteuk about it, his oldest brother told him that one day they would intervene, but that it just wasn’t the time yet. Hujin had a stronger hold over Leeteuk then he had over Kyuhyun. He was expected to step up to head the company after Hujin so he tended to be more obedient than his younger brother. So it was never the time to intervene. It was funny, Kyuhyun thought. Over the years, whenever he was hurt or threatened Leeteuk would flip and become uncharacteristically violent until the person who had hurt his youngest brother was dealt with. So much so that he would become almost unrecognisable. Why was he like that for Kyuhyun, but unable to summon the same protectiveness for his other brother? Maybe that was the reason why. Maybe because he wasn’t able to protect Heechul he put all of that power and energy into protecting the one person that he could.

 

And now Heechul was gone and the whole Hujin family was scrambling to search for him. As Kyuhyun scanned his brother’s room for the last twenty seven years, a question formed in his mind.

 

Would Heechul even want to be found?

 

Kyuhyun managed a few more minutes of silence before he heard footsteps getting louder and saw a figure join him in the dark room. It was Leeteuk.

 

“I thought I’d find you down here.”

 

The older man approached and kneeled in front of his brother.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Kyuhyun didn’t look up. Instead just shifting his gaze to stare at his brother with dark and heavy eyes.

 

“Just thinking.”

 

Leeteuk sat back on the cold floor. His posture defeated and tired.

 

“That can be dangerous…”

 

Kyuhyun nodded slowly and let out a sigh. Leeteuk saw his brother’s demeanor. He could tell he was feeling a lot of emotions right now.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

He already knew the answer when the boy slowly blinked and let out a sigh.

 

“Why are we even looking for him, Teuk?”

 

“What?”

 

“If we find him, then what? We bring him back and it starts all over again? I can’t do it, hyung. I won’t let it happen again.”

 

Leeteuk instantly felt the same way.

 

“Hey, I know. Alright? I’ll never let him set foot in this room again. Believe me. If we find him, I won’t be telling father.”

 

Kyuhyun looked up.

 

“If?”

 

His brother shook his head.

 

“There’s been no sign of him yet. Even at the Keun compound, all is quiet. Look, Kyu, I just want to make sure Heechul is safe. Part of me kind of hopes that Keun has him. At least that way we know who we’re dealing with.”

 

“Any word from Seunghyun?”

 

“None. And there was no body at the entrance that could have been his. He’s definitely involved. Whether it’s with Keun or some other organisation… I just don’t understand why…”

 

“Maybe he just couldn’t stand it anymore. In my opinion, he’s a better man then either of us.”

 

Leeteuk looked at Kyuhyun through narrow eyes before eventually sighing.

 

“Maybe so… Maybe we’re just as bad as…”

 

He couldn’t even say it. There was a heavy silence for a moment.

 

“Where is he now?”

 

Kyuhyun asked, referring to the man that neither of them wanted to even think about.

 

“I don’t fucking know. Probably preparing another speech saying that G-Dragon is the one that killed mother despite not being old enough to walk. I’m telling you now, Kyu. As soon as we find Chullie, I’m taking the two of you and we’re getting as far away from this city as possible. I couldn’t care less about this company any more…”

 

The younger boy was surprised at his brother’s display of emotion. This was the first time he had heard him speaking like this ever.

 

“Hyung, what about taking over? It’s what your whole life has been-”

 

“And what about Chullie’s whole life?”

 

Leeteuk spat, his anger growing.

 

“God, Kyu. I was so focused on being next in line all this time that I didn’t even see what was right in front of me.”

 

Kyuhyun only watched as his oldest brother began to break down in front of him.

 

“He’s my little brother… and he was tortured his whole life… And what did I do? Give him a bandaid?”

 

Leeteuk had his head in his hands and Kyuhyun could see the wet droplets falling down onto the cement between his legs as he cried.

 

“God…”

 

Kyuhyun couldn’t find the will to do anything at that moment. He didn’t really know how to comfort the other man as he never had to do it before. He was always the emotional one and Leeteuk had always been the one to calm him down or look after him. But he would give it a shot.

 

“You did more than give him a bandaid, hyung. You taught him how to read and write. You taught him how to speak. How to walk. You told him about colour and warmth even when you couldn’t give it to him physically. You stayed with him on those cold nights and held him close like any big brother would. You helped reset broken bones and stitched up wounds…”

 

The younger boy sat forward, edging closer to the crying man.

 

“And you did it all while practically running the biggest company in Seoul and looking after this hopeless mess.”

 

Leeteuk looked up to see Kyuhyun smiling as he was referring to himself. This made him laugh and wipe at his tear stained cheeks.

 

“It wasn’t just me, Kyu. I couldn’t do any of it without you there next to me.”

 

“Thanks, hyung.”

 

Leeteuk took his brother by his shoulder.

 

“I’m sorry, Kyuhyun. For everything. I promise, I’ll make it right. We’ll be a family again.”

 

The brothers embraced and at that moment silently made a pact that they would stop at nothing to get their missing brother back and give him the life that he had never had the chance to live.

 

Full of colour and warmth.


	20. Rain and Warmth

Part 2

Chapter 9

Rain and Warmth

 

 

It was a cool evening. The sky was filled with dark clouds that were spitting down warm raindrops. Somehow, the endless grey of the sky made everything seem bigger. At least to Heechul. But then again, he only really had the small basement to compare to everything he was seeing now. He stood in front of the back door to the Keun safehouse and gently pushed it open. Immediately the sound of the water hitting the pavement danced around his ears. He liked that sound. He stepped right to the edge of the door and slowly reached his hand out, suddenly feeling the light patter of the raindrops against the palm of his hand. A smile immediately formed on his soft face. It was the first time he had ever felt rain against his skin. He playfully moved his fingers trying to catch as much of the drops as possible, enjoying the cool sensation.

 

A presence soon joined him. It was Seunghyun.

 

“Here you are.”

 

Heechul immediately turned to the other man, his face filled with child-like wonder.

 

“It’s amazing.”

 

Seunghyun turned and looked up into the dull clouds, watching the rain fall and bounce off the Hujin boy’s palm. He simply smiled at him, glad he could witness his first experience with rain.

 

“I brought you something.”

 

Heechul looked down to see Seunghyun holding a cup. He peered down into the mug, instantly feeling the warmth radiating from the liquid inside. He glanced up at the taller man quizically.

 

“It’s coffee.”

 

Seunghyun explained before handing it to the other man. Heechul held the warm cup in both hands and brought it up to his face.

 

“It smells good.”

 

He observed making the taller man smile again.

 

“Try it.”

 

Heechul did as he was told and took a small sip. Seunghyun watched his brow furrow as the unique taste became known to the boy.

 

“Oh, it’s…”

 

“Bitter, right? Do you like it?”

 

Heechul took another sip before answering, taking his time to decide.

 

“Maybe.”

 

Seunghyun laughed, causing Heechul to smile too. Then it was quiet. The Hujin boy turned to look back out into the rain. Seunghyun admired his profile. His dark hair was smooth and hung loosely down over his forehead, the sides perfectly shaved. His dark eyes were half-lidded and tired.

 

“How is Jiyong?”

 

Heechul asked not taking his eyes away from the rain. Seunghyun did not answer right away, which caused Heechul to eventually look up to the taller man. Seunghyun had glanced behind them both and smiled, returning his gaze to Heechul.

 

“Why don’t you ask him?”

 

The Hujin boy turned behind him to see somebody standing a few feet away. The gloominess of the sky cast a light shadow over him, but it was Jiyong. Seunghyun took the still warm cup from Heechul’s hand, smiling down at him. Then he turned and made his way to the door. As he passed the Keun boss, his friend, he placed his hand on his shoulder warmly and left the room. Heechul could only watch as the shadowy figure emerged and became visible. With each step, Jiyong became more himself. His black hair was tossed on the top of his head, some hanging over his eyes and some sticking up at funny angles. He wore a grey sweater that was miles too big for him, the neck hanging down exposing his defined collar bone. His black trousers were well fitting and rolled up at the bottom, revealing his bare feet. Jiyong walked slowly, and with some difficulty, until he was standing right in front of Heechul. Both of them just stared into eachother’s eyes, not fully believing that they were.

 

“You look tired.”

 

Heechul spoke quietly, not really sure of what he was saying. Jiyong’s feline-like eyes were soft and he blinked slowly. The darkness behind them showed.

 

“So do you.”

 

Jiyong replied. Heechul’s eyes always had that darkness in them.

 

There was a silence for a few moments. The only sound being from the rain beside them. But after a few seconds, both men reached forward and grabbed the other in a tight embrace. Every single emotion both of them had felt over the last two years had been leading to this meeting. Finally, they were able to feel eachother’s warmth. Heechul almost couldn’t believe that Jiyong was real. It seemed that every shred of hope that he had been made believe in was always fake up until now. And Jiyong couldn’t believe that Heechul was physically here in his arms after seeing every picture that Seunghyun had sent of him or hearing his broken voice on the other end of the phone. Jiyong’s abdomen was hurting him and Heechul’s knee was hurting him, but neither boy cared. They just held onto eachother for dear life. After a full minute of silence they eventually pulled away.

 

“I’m sorry it took so long.”

 

The smaller man spoke, looking deep into the other’s eyes through heavy orbs of his own.

 

“Don’t. I’m here now. With you… You know, I don’t think I would have made it this far without…”

 

“Hey.”

 

Jiyong grabbed Heechul by his shoulder.

 

“Stop, okay? You made it through twenty seven six years without me. That’s twenty six years too many. Nobody should have to… you shouldn’t…”

 

The feeling that swept through Jiyong just then was a mixture of sadness because of what he was actually saying and happiness because he finally had the other man in front of him after so long. Even if in the grand scheme, it was only a fraction of the time Heechul had spent alone.

 

Heechul watched the other man’s head lower down, his chin touching his chest and his hand resting over his grey sweater where he had been shot and crudely operated on.

 

“How is your stomach?”

 

The Keun boss rubbed the soft fabric with his thumb before looking back up at the Hujin boy.

 

“I’m alright. I’ve been shot before.”

 

He spoke in a flat tone, completely desensitized to the afflictions that he’d suffered over the years. This saddened the other boy. He looked Heechul up and down. 

 

“How is your… everything?”

 

Heechul smiled sadly at his words.

 

“Dae gave me a run down after his examination.”

 

Jiyong explained.

 

“And of course, Seunghyun always showed me the pictures…”

 

Heechul knew that, but he was glad that Jiyong was telling him anyway.

 

“My head is still a little unclear. Everything feels like it’s far away.”

 

“Then I'll pull you closer. Don’t worry.”

 

Jiyong looked directly at the other boy through deep and warm eyes. Heechul smiled genuinely at the boy’s words. Jiyong had always made him feel calm just by talking over the phone. And now that he was right in front of him, he could feel the ease of the delicate man’s presence. He could sense it beneath his tough exterior. He felt glad that he could.

 

“Heechul, we need to talk about what happens next.”

 

 

 

 

The main members of the Keun family had gathered in the living room of the safehouse. They sat around the big wrap around couch in front of the roaring fire that Taeyang had built as it was a rather cool night. Seungri had attempted to clean the blood from the fabric, but he gave up and instead just flipped the cushions. Seunghyun had laid out some water and snacks on the coffee table and made sure everybody was comfortable. Daesung had taken both Jiyong and Heechul’s vitals and blood levels to be safe before finally joining them on the couch.

 

“I’d like to start off by saying that I’m proud of you all. We were outnumbered, outgunned and we still managed to get Heechul out of there without any casualties.”

 

There was a pregnant silence.

 

“Ji, you are aware that there is a hole in your stomach, right?”

 

Seungri pointed out almost comically.

 

“This?”

 

The leader gestured to his abdomen.

 

“This is nothing.”

 

“It didn’t sound like nothing from where I was… and I was half conscious.”

 

Heechul said dryly from right beside Jiyong, causing the man to whip his head around, feeling betrayed.

 

Seungri laughed.

 

“I like this guy!”

 

The others chuckled at the interaction.

 

“Hey, enough alright? I just mean… there’s a reason I put my trust in you guys the most. That’s all.”

 

Jiyong finished, feeling defeated as he slumped back in the chair. Heechul was reminded of a sulking child with the way Jiyong looked so he placed his hand on the boy’s knee and sat forward slowly.

 

“Thank you. Each of you. You had no motivation to get involved in the politics of my family…”

 

Heechul spoke in a quiet voice.

 

“You were our motivation.”

 

The Hujin boy looked up at the deep voice that belonged to Seunghyun and saw his sharp features smiling back at him.

 

“Yeah, kid. As soon as Jiyong told us about you and showed us your picture it was enough.”

 

Taeyang spoke this time, evoking a warmth to spark in Heechul’s chest.

 

“You even managed to get Seungri to care which is an accomplishment in itself...”

 

The medic spoke and lightly hit the youngest man on his shoulder.

 

“Hey!”

 

Seungri playfully punched Daesung in response and raised his fists like a boxer before turning to Heechul.

 

“We couldn’t just leave you there.”

 

He added before crossing his legs and sitting back. Just then Heechul glanced around at the men sitting around him. The warm glow of the fire was cast over each of their faces. The Hujin boy eventually returned his gaze beside him to Jiyong who was lying back against the couch with his arm resting over the back, simply smiling at him. Heechul felt like he was a part of their family.

 

“I’m very grateful to you all.”

 

He bowed his head forward in thanks.

 

“So, now what?”

 

Seungri asked.

 

“Well, no doubt Hujin is on a manhunt. I got word from Mino that he has guys outside the complex day and night.”

 

Taeyang explained.

 

“And I can’t go back there. By now they either think I’m dead or they know the truth.”

 

Jiyong nodded.

 

“I wouldn’t risk your life, Seunghyun.”

 

He looked over at Daesung for his opinion.

 

“Right now, I would like for you both to continue to rest, but when have you ever listened to me before, huh?”

 

Jiyong smiled.

 

“You know I appreciate everything you do, Dae.”

 

The medic smiled in response and bowed gently. Jiyong then turned to the man beside him with a soft expression.

 

“Heechul, I won’t let that man near you again. But ultimately the decision is yours. What do you want to do?”

 

He watched as the Hujin boy took his time to think. He imagined a battle in his messed up head trying to sift through the haze that he had described. His heavy eyes blinked slowly before he turned back to the Keun boss.

 

“I’m done with Hujin. He was never a father to me… but I miss my brothers, Jiyong. I just want to tell them that I’m safe.”

 

Everybody looked at Jiyong after the Hujin boy spoke. The small man looked even smaller in his giant sweater, but he still managed to emit a uniquely commanding presence. He thought for a few moments, the warm glow of the flames covering his face like a mask. Eventually he nodded to himself.

 

“Okay. I have an idea.”

 

 

\---

 

 

The Hujin family compound had reached a lull. It had been three weeks and there was still no word from Heechul or Seunghyun. The media outcry was immense. Hujin was requested for interview after interview which, surprisingly, he had turned down time and time again. Leeteuk thought he would have jumped at every opportunity to milk sympathy from the press. But he was uncharacteristically silent. Siwon had finished his treatment of the minor bullet graze to the CEO’s shoulder. During his brief encounters with the man he only spoke to him in medical terms and never when he didn’t have to, so he took the chance to really take in his appearance instead. If there was only one word to describe the man, he would say that it was ‘harsh’. His facial features were sharp and bore the signs of decades of stress and cruelty. And whenever the medic stepped out of the CEO’s office he felt himself let out a deep breath that he didn’t know he was holding.

 

On his last day with Hujin, he took the scenic route back to his supply office and walked past the lounge. Some nights he would bump into Donghae or Yesung and have a drink with them before heading home. This night however, as he stepped through into the space he was met with the face of somebody who never really was seen alone.

 

“Shindong. You’re still here?”

 

The assistant was sitting on the couch and nodded as he looked up at the medic.

 

“Figured I’d just take a moment before heading back. It was a long day.”

 

Siwon ran his hand through his hair and let out a tired sigh as he sat down opposite the other man. He tossed his bag on the couch beside him. Shindong heard the rattle from the medic’s tools inside his bag.

 

“You were with Hujin?”

 

The medic only nodded through dull eyes.

 

“How is he?”

 

“The wound is healed. It was just a graze anyway. Frankly, he didn’t need me to come every day. I’d much rather take a look at Heechul. He’s the one who needs me the most.”

 

Shindong wasn’t concerned with the old man’s injury. He couldn’t have cared less. He was more asking what his general demeanor was like. But at Siwon’s mention of Heechul, he forgot his initial reason for asking.

 

“Yeah... The closest thing he’s had to a medic all this time has been me... and I probably only made things worse.”

 

Siwon smiled at the assistant’s ability to self-deprecate, but felt the need to say something.

 

“Give yourself some credit, Shindong. You were in a tough situation.”

 

Shindong glanced up at the other man before simply nodding slowly, not fully able to shake the guilt and not sure if he ever would be.

 

Just then, both men flinched at the sound of the assistant’s phone suddenly vibrating against the glass coffee table. Shindong looked down to see that it was an unknown caller. He furrowed his brow in confusion. Nobody has the number to his work phone besides the brothers and Hujin. There was one more person who had it, but he completely slipped his mind as he answered the phone and slowly raised it to his ear.

 

“Hello?”

 

“We know you are the assistant of Leeteuk and Kyuhyun Hujin. This is not to get back to CEO Hujin.”

 

The voice was deep and muffled, obviously the ‘kidnappers’. Siwon sat forward, eyes glued to Shindong’s face.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“Tell Leeteuk and Kyuhyun to meet us at Sogong-dong, the Golden Plot. Tomorrow. Midnight. We have Heechul and we want to talk. Understand?”

 

Shindong blinked up at the medic before answering.

 

“Yes.”

 

“If CEO Hujin finds out about this, they will never see their brother again.”

 

Then the line went dead.


	21. The Golden Plot (Part 2 End)

Part 2 Finale

Chapter 10

The Golden Plot

 

 

It was 11:45pm. The desolate expanse of land known as the Golden Plot had been abandoned long ago. Old advertisements had stripped down over time and messy graffitti decorated the grey brick walls that encased the dusty concrete. It was empty now. The only occupants being the men that stood in the cold night air, waiting. Their black car sat next to them, headlights dimmed and engine rumbling gently. Donghae remained in the driver’s seat with his legs hanging outside as he smoked a cigarette. The smoke mixed with the coolness of the night and looked like a tornado in the air. Eunhyuk stood outside leaning back against the hood of the car. He watched the smoke drift from his friend’s mouth and dance in front of him. Yesung stood just in front of the car, caressing his beloved guns that he had strapped to his side. Siwon sat in the backseat behind Donghae just staring at the back of the driver seat, lost in his thoughts. Shindong was beside the passenger door watching ahead for any signs. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun stood in front of the headlights, the younger with a cigarette in between his lips.

 

“How do you feel?”

 

The older brother asked when he saw Kyuhyun tapping his foot anxiously.

 

“I just want him back.”

 

The younger man spoke with a tense tone. Leeteuk could tell he was feeling emotional.

 

“We’ll get him back. My patience is running thin.”

 

Not long after, a set of headlights emerged from the darkness. Each man gave their full attention and approached their bosses, standing behind the brothers. The car stopped about ten feet away before the doors swung open and numerous shadows stepped out. One by one they made their way closer until they could be made out, but the first two nobody recognised. Leeteuk took in every detail of the faces he tried to see in the dim light until the light from the headlights illuminated them. A tall figure suddenly appeared in front of him and he felt his heart stop. Everybody did.

 

“Seunghyun?”

 

The tall man was dressed in a long black coat and had a blank expression. If anything, he looked tired. Kyuhyun felt rage built up inside him and couldn’t stop himself from taking a step forward, but he was stopped by his older brother’s hand on his chest.

 

“Why?”

 

Leeteuk asked his former trusted employee.

 

“Please. He will tell you everything.”

 

The man’s deep voice was firm, but quiet. Just then, a smaller man came through the cold air. He looked familiar. Kyuhyun recognised his sharp face.

 

“I know you. You’re Taeyang.”

 

Leeteuk confirmed that this man was the Keun family right-hand when he got a closer look at his distinct face.

 

“That means...”

 

Only his younger brother heard him whisper his conclusion before a final figure emerged from the icy cool air. His small frame, shining jewellery and piercing eyes were instantly recognisable.

 

“G-Dragon.”

 

The brothers heard their driver mutter from behind them.

 

The Keun boss stopped in front of them, the car headlights illuminating his delicate yet strong form. His black suit was buttoned half way up, exposing his defined collar bone and some of the tattoos around his neck. His feline eyes scanned the members of the Hujin family slowly, making sure to make eye contact with each of them before eventually landing on the two brothers. He just stared between the two for a few moments before blinking slowly.

 

“I would say that I owe you an explanation, but you should be the ones telling the whole world what the fuck you both have been hiding all this time, right?”

 

Leeteuk gritted his teeth and stared daggers into Jiyong’s smooth face. Both men were angry and it was clear to everybody in the carpark.

 

“Where is he, Jiyong?”

 

“He’s safe. Away from that animal you call a father.”

 

“He’s no father of mine.”

 

Kyuhyun muttered under his breath, causing Jiyong to look at him through hooded lids and smile gently.

 

“I know.”

 

The younger brother furrowed his brow.

 

“What?”

 

“Look, Jiyong. Cut the bullshit. Just tell us where our brother is.”

 

Leeteuk said, exasperation clear in his tone.

 

“If you think I'm gonna put Heechul in danger again you're fucking crazy.”

 

He stepped closer to Leeteuk and blinked up at him.

 

“I don’t trust you.”

 

Leeteuk stared down along the bridge of his nose directly into Jiyong’s eyes. He felt rage and frustration build up inside him. He kept his gaze on the smaller man for a moment longer before shifting to Seunghyun who was standing behind him.

 

“Did you ever even care?”

 

He coldly asked the tall man dressed in black. He didn’t get a chance to gauge Seunghyun’s reaction, however, before he felt a strong impact against his jaw. His head snapped to the side and he immediately brought his hand up to wipe the blood away from his lip. He looked up to see Jiyong panting with his fist clenched and teeth gritted.

 

“He cares more than either of you ever fucking did!”

 

This act of hostility set it off. Kyuhyun lunged forward and took hold of Jiyong’s shoulder. As soon as contact was made with the Keun boss, his crew sprinted forward and engaged. A battle erupted with bodies colliding and as soon as the fight broke out between Keun and Hujin, the sky opened up and rain began to fall from the darkness above, only making things more difficult.

 

Yesung didn’t get a chance to reach for his guns as things became so chaotic. Eunhyuk was expertly weaving between Seungri’s wild strikes as the gunman was doing his best to distract the youngest Keun member. Donghae and Shindong were clashing with Taeyang who was keeping his guard up. The two medics, Siwon and Daesung, were exchanging stiff strikes with eachother. Seunghyun and Leeteuk squared off, each with a deep hatred in their eyes. Kyuhyun and Jiyong were locked in a violent dance, the younger’s erratic movement an even match for his still unknown half brother’s graceful style. The rain came down hard, drenching the men and adding another obstacle other then beating their rivals down.

 

Jiyong had just landed a kick to Kyuhyun’s head and was about to reel back to strike again when he felt a pressure against his side. Leeteuk had pushed Seunghyun hard enough to go sailing into the Keun boss, elbowing him accidentally right where his bullet wound was. It was a hard hit, causing him to twist to the side and double over, grabbing the wound. The accident also provided an opportunity for the younger Hujin brother to wrap his arm around Jiyong’s back and drive his knee forward hard into the smaller man’s stomach. The impact reverbarated through the boy’s still delicate injury, causing his knees to buckle as he collapsed to the ground. He didn’t have any time to refill his lungs with air before he was forced onto his back and mounted. The hand that clutched at his wound was now covered in blood after it had reopened and was pinned to his own body as Kyuhyun’s weight bared down on him. There was a pressure against his neck, the younger man’s bony hand wrapped around his decorated throat. Kyuhyun stared down at him with hatred in his dark eyes, the rain dripping down from his hair onto the boy below him. He heaved as he raised his free hand up, raring to strike, but just as he was about to send his closed fist down towards Jiyong’s face, he stopped himself. The Keun family boss’ jacket had been torn open and resting against his black and soaked shirt, underneath his heavy silver chain was a small photo.

 

The younger man reached down slowly and picked up the picture. As soon as he saw the image he felt the whole world stop turning. The noise of the rain above him and the bodies flying around him faded and all he could hear was the shallow breathing of the body beneath him. He followed his own arm down with his eyes and up to his hand still wrapped around the other man’s throat. He could feel his laboured breathing as his chest struggled to rise from the weight of his own body on top of him. He slowly released his grip and looked up at Jiyong’s face. The rain was pelting down, making it almost impossible for Jiyong to open his eyes. His pained expression made Kyuhyun shift back and see the other man’s hand trapped underneath Kyuhyun’s own thigh. The blood soaked through Jiyong’s shirt and the younger Hujin brother surmised that Jiyong was already injured and that that was why he was subdued so easily after being kicked in the stomach. He glanced back at the photograph one more time before whipping his head up and searching for his older brother. He spotted him.

 

Leeteuk and Seunghyun were locked together in a scrap when Kyuhyun yelled for him.

 

“Leeteuk! Stop!”

 

The oldest brother immediately followed the voice through the hazy rain and made out Kyuhyun desperately trying to get his attention. He glanced at Seunghyun who had himself made out that the person who Kyuhyun was with was Jiyong. The Keun assistant looked back at Leeteuk and they both nodded to eachother.

 

“Everybody stop!”

 

Through the heavy droplets, everyone eventually caught wind of their instruction and broke apart. Heavy panting mixed with streams of crimson, washing away with the rain. Seunghyun instantly pushed Kyuhyun back so that he fell off of his friend and onto the wet concrete. He loomed over Jiyong and saw him clutching his side. The blood was seeping through fast. Obviously the stitches Daesung had expertly sewn into his boss had torn. Seunghyun felt guilty.

 

“I’m sorry. I lost my balance. Are you okay?”

 

The assistant spoke loudly over the sound of rain hitting the ground. Jiyong took a moment before nodding and puffing out some air to get the water away from his mouth.

 

“Don’t worry about it.”

 

The small man moved to push himself up into a sitting position on the cold concrete, rain still pelting him, his black suit clinging to his body. Seunghyun stood back up and gave him some room. Yesung caught a glimpse of Jiyong’s wound and a shiver ran through his spine. The man he had shot in his blind firing back at the press conference was G-Dragon. The thought made him a little nervous, but secretly a little proud too.

 

Leeteuk approached his younger brother and took the photograph from his hand. The image of Heechul, still blonde, lying on the cold and dark ground beaten and bruised was only too familiar to them both. He glanced down at the Keun boss below him and felt something in his chest. Although the emotion wasn’t negative, it was heavy. He slowly reached out his arm and held it in front of the downed boy. Jiyong blinked heavy through the falling rain before leaning back on his palm and pushing himself up, ignoring Leeteuk’s gesture. His movement was slow, but he managed to stand up straight while keeping his hand firmly against his wound. He took a moment before opening his dark eyes and looking across at the other man.

 

Eventually, Leeteuk held up the photograph to Jiyong.

 

“You know everything.”

 

It was more of a statement than a question, to which the Keun boss only nodded in reply. Seunghyun stepped forward beside Jiyong and gestured to the picture.

 

“Every time Heechul was left alone it was me and Jiyong who kept him company, talking him through the pain, doing our best to distract him from his life…”

 

“He wasn’t living… He was existing.”

 

Jiyong added through gritted teeth, hatred pouring from his voice. The dark tone caused Leeteuk to feel a slight stinging behind his eyes. A frustrating and desperate feeling.

 

“Why didn’t you do anything?”

 

Jiyong took a step forward.

 

“Why did you let it continue for so long?”

 

Another looming step.

 

“Why was I the one to have to step in, huh?”

 

By now, Jiyong and Leeteuk’s faces were almost touching, the Keun boss’ eyes staring daggers into the Hujin brother’s soul. Nobody said anything. The questions were heard, just nobody had the capibility to answer. Only the sound of falling rain filled the empty lot. The tension rose to a boiling point and whatever happened next could be fatal…

 

But Jiyong only felt a breath against his face as Leeteuk sighed and stepped back. He looked down at the photo of his brother in between his thumb and index finger before looking back up at the smaller man and holding out the picture to him. Jiyong took it apprehensively, not looking away from the other man. Leeteuk glanced back to his younger brother. Kyuhyun only blinked before his older brother returned his eyes to the dragon standing in front of him.

 

“We need your help.”

 

That was definitely not what Jiyong had expected. In fact it might have been the last thing he expected the other man to say. His tone was defeated, as if the Hujin brother had been carrying a giant boulder on his back all his life. Jiyong shifted his eyes to his younger brother to see his posture and expression telling the same story. It was only now that he thought about how Leeteuk and Kyuhyun also had to deal with Hujin on a daily basis. And he didn’t know anything about how he treated his other two sons, but he did recall Seunghyun telling him about the time Kyuhyun had been beaten after the trouble he caused with the cocaine deal. If Hujin had the capacity to do such unspeakable things to Heechul then he of course had the capacity to do the same to Leeteuk or Kyuhyun. His twisted motivation might not have been there to hurt either of them in the same way, but the underlying cruelty was still present in the Hujin patriarch. They may not have been hurting physically for the most part, but Jiyong was sure that they both had scars underneath that didn’t show on the outside. And now that he knew that the younger brother shared the same blood as him, he felt himself wanting to answer their request for help. Maybe.

 

“Well, I already rescued your brother for you. It seems I’m feeling generous lately…”

 

The Keun boy sighed when he saw that Leeteuk simpy looked down at the ground, remaining silent. Asking for help from a rival wasn’t easy, especially when the relationship was as complicated as theirs. So he softened his tone.

 

“What do you need?”

 

Leeteuk was a little surprised at Jiyong’s willingness to even listen after everything that had transpired between the two families, but he was glad.

 

“Our father… Hujin. We need your help to get rid of him.”

 

Jiyong furrowed his brow.

 

“What? You mean kill him?”

 

Leeteuk put his hands on his hips and shook his head, running a hand through his soaked hair.

 

“At this point I really don’t care. After everything he’s done to us… to Heechul… what I’m saying is, you don’t know our father, Jiyong. Yes, Heechul is... but he’s capable of so much m-”

 

“I think I have a pretty good idea what that monster is capable of.”

 

Jiyong spat causing the other man to stare at him quizically. The Keun boss just decided to say it.

 

“He killed my father… in cold blood…”

 

He spoke through gritted teeth as he recalled the memories in his painful head, staring past the man in front of him.

 

“Even after my mother carried his ch-”

 

He stopped himself there, but the Hujin brother had heard enough.

 

“What did you just say?”

 

Kyuhyun stepped forward beside his older brother. Jiyong knew he had been heard so he blinked slowly before looking into the younger man’s shining eyes.

 

“We have the same mother.”

 

To say that the young man was shocked would be the understatement of the year. He was lost for words as he simply stared at Jiyong. At his half brother. Leeteuk let out a short breath.

 

“Wow…”

 

“Yeah…”

 

The Keun boss looked up and seeing that the rain had died down he took out his cigarette box and lit one for himself before flicking the box so that he could offer a fresh cigarette to the Hujin brothers. Kyuhyun immediately took one and Jiyong held up the lighter for him. The atmosphere seemed to have relaxed somewhat.

 

“Is she alive?”

 

The youngest asked his new brother who let out a puff of smoke and nodded in reply.

 

“She lives in Japan.”

 

Kyuhyun only nodded slowly before taking a long drag of his cigarette. Leeteuk could see the gears turning in his head as he remained silent.

 

“She told me about you only about a year ago, before she moved away. She told me that she carried you for your parents because your mother was too sick… after Heechul…”

 

The two Hujin brothers looked at eachother sadly. It was so strange to hear these words coming from the Keun boss’ mouth. It was as if he had written a storybook about their past.

 

“So…”

 

Jiyong spoke as he stubbed out his cigarette on the damp concrete below his foot.

 

“I guess I’m obligated to help… seeing as we’re family, right?”

 

The corner of the Keun boss’ mouth curled up as his eyes narrowed cheekily. His face instantly warmed up, the fallen raindrops that soaked his hair dripping down his temple. Leeteuk smiled in return and Kyuhyun nodded full of determination. He held out his hand towards Jiyong. The dragon took it in his own and held tight.

 

In that moment, the Hujin and Keun families became one entity in which to destroy the monster that had ruined each of their lives.

 

Hujin was going to pay dearly.

 

 

 

 

He was tired. Tired of it all. Interview after interview had filled his head with countless flashes and microphones held a centimeter away from his face. So there he sat, behind his desk, with a glass of scotch in his hand. He played back the events of the press conference in his head over and over. He was so sure that he could get the public back on his side, but it didn’t go as he had planned at all. It wasn’t until now that thought back to the details of what happened. With each second he remembered he felt his grip on his glass tighten as the fury seeped through his weary bones. If the bullet hadn’t nicked his shoulder he would have sprinted down the steps and went after his son on his own. At least that’s what he told himself. And even though the people that took away Heechul were masked, he knew exactly who it was. So he had only one resort left to cling onto.

 

If he got the police involved he knew that things could get messy. And despite the amount of times he threatened his sons that he would just lie, it really wasn’t that simple. He could never erase the years of abuse from down in that basement.

 

So there was only one thing left he could think of doing and he wasn’t even really certain that it would get him his sons or even his reputation back, but it would definitely make him feel better.

 

He gulped down the last of his alcohol and took his phone from the desk in front of him. He hit the number one speed dial and held the receiver next to his ear, tiredly rubbing his brow as he listened to the irritating ringing sounds.

 

Eventually, the other end of the line clicked and a muffled voice was heard.

 

“Yes?”

 

He cleared his throat.

 

“It’s H.”

 

There was a pause.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

A shuffling was heard on the line and after a moment a different voice spoke.

 

“Hello?”

 

The voice sounded slightly different to him. It seemed thinner, a little weaker than last time.

 

“K, it’s me.”

 

“Ah, I’d recognise that menacing voice anywhere. How are you, my friend?”

 

He chuckled.

 

“Have you been watching the news lately? I’m about as good as you’d expect.”

 

The other man hesitated for a moment.

 

“Oh, yeah?”

 

He could tell that he didn’t know what he was talking about. So he sighed gently and decided to change the subject.

 

“How’s your boy doing?”

 

He switched topics, giving the other man a chance to talk about something that his rotting memory wasn’t able to rob from him.

 

“He visited me not so long ago. He looks good. I can finally see that fire in him.”

 

He sat back in his chair.

 

“So I see my techniques worked, huh? I told you; ‘tough love’… Works every time.”

 

He spoke light-heartedly. Almost playfully.

 

“Hey, I gave you a few good ones to… Speaking of which, how is yours doing? Still got the kid locked up?”

 

He instinctively furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth.

 

“Well, that’s the reason I called, K…”

 

There was a silence on the other end as he waited for him to continue.

 

“I’m coming for your boy. I’m coming for Jiyong. I just wanted to give you the courtesy.”

 

A sigh could be heard through the receiver.

 

“What did he do this time?”

 

He hesitated.

 

“He took Heechul from me.”

 

“Oh… I see.”

 

He didn’t say anything in reply. Instead his mind just wandered to the image of his son with the leader of the Keun family and it made his blood boil. The frail voice spoke again.

 

“Let me handle it, H. I’ll take him back to the underpass and-”

 

“It’s out of the question. Would you really expect me to react any differently? If Leeteuk or Kyuhyun broke into your office and snatched Jiyong from right under you wouldn’t you want to go after him yourself? Wouldn’t you want to be the reason behind the pain in their eyes?”

 

He knew that the other man simply didn’t have the ability to cause anyone any harm anymore. He knew he was bed-ridden. He was just humouring the weak man.

 

“So, I just wanted to call you to tell you that you may not see your precious little dragon again for quite some time.”

 

There was a hesitation on the line.

 

“...Is that so?”

 

“But I’ll tell you one thing, K. Using the underpass sounds like an interesting idea… I’m sure by now the kid has blocked out those three weeks… but I think a little reminder would be good for him, don’t you? And you never know, maybe it will add fuel to fire in those pretty eyes of his, as you said before.”

 

By now the scales had tipped almost completely and the constant power play between the CEO’s of both Keun and Hujin had reached it’s climax.

 

It took some time for Keun to say anything. Had he forgotten the conversation had even happened? Had he run out of air as Hujin was talking?

 

“I haven’t slept properly in years.”

 

His tone had completely changed. He no longer sounded frail or weak. He sounded like he did before the mind-eating disease took over his brain years ago.

 

“Every night I see images in my head. Images of Jiyong’s trembling body laying at my feet. He’s tiny, like a baby… and I see his blood… hear him crying… begging… screaming…”

 

The sad tone in Keun’s voice sent chills through Hujin’s body. With each word he felt himself become colder.

 

“And then when I think about everything that that boy has accomplished… I think to myself… None of what I ever did to him mattered. He still would have surpassed my expectations because that’s just the type of person that he is… No, what I did to him for all those years… was for nobody else’s benefit other than my own… And what I helped you do to your boy, Heechul… I want to apologise, Hujin.”

 

That was the last thing he had expected to hear coming from the other man.

 

“I won’t stop you coming after Jiyong, I couldn’t anyway… but honestly, H… those two boys belong to eachother now… So if Jiyong really did take Heechul like you said… just let them be…”

 

Suddenly a shift was heard on the other end of the line and after a few moments of silence a distant voice could be heard calling for a medic.

 

Then the line went dead.

 

Hujin took the phone from his ear slowly and just stared at it in his now shaking hand. He felt numb all over. Like the wind had been knocked out of him entirely. He could replay every word that Keun had uttered in those last moments like it was a speech he had learned.

 

He didn’t think he would ever forget Keun’s last words.

\---

Thank you reading Part 2 of Save You. I hope you're enjoying where the story has come so far. Please stay tuned for for the final part.


	22. The Dark Room

Part 3

Chapter 1

The Dark Room

 

 

The alternative Keun safehouse was now being used by both Jiyong and the Hujin brothers as a base. Both of their crews stayed there as it was certainly big enough and secluded enough. The Keun complex was still being watched by Hujin, and CEO Hujin had been trying to contact his sons again, but they were ignoring him for the time being. And of course, Leeteuk and Kyuhyun had been reunited with Heechul. At first, Heechul was a bit apprehensive, but the nervousness soon evapourated as he felt the warm embrace of his brothers. Both families ended up spending some of the time getting to know eachother a little better. Daesung and Siwon exchanged theories and techniques they had used in the past to treat the various injuries they had enountered, recalling stories from their own bosses. Siwon was fascinated of Daesung’s account of how he took the bullet from Jiyong’s body without anesthetic. Yesung, Eunhyuk and Seungri discussed the importance of their own fighting styles; weapons, martial arts and intimidation respectively. Donghae and Taeyang spoke about cars and which worked best for getaway situations. Seunghyun took a moment with Shindong to just recount all of the events that had happened up until now and reinforce their gratitude and faith in one another.

 

Lastly, Jiyong sat with the three Hujin brothers. Heechul was next to him, so close that Jiyong could feel the warmth from the other boy’s body against his side. The dragon had his hand up around the back of the couch, just behind Heechul’s neck. It was a comfortable position for the Hujin boy. Jiyong’s presence made him feel safe and now that his brothers were right beside him too, he felt like there was a fortress around him.

 

“Our father’s been trying to get in contact with us all week. Calling non-stop. Taemin informed me that he overheard him say he’s even considering driving to the Keun complex himself to find Heechul. He thinks we’ve betrayed the family.”

 

Leeteuk spoke, looking down at the fifteen missed calls and messages on his phone.

 

“Well, you kinda have. Look where you are.”

 

Jiyong gestured to the room they were now in and to the distant voices of both of their families interacting around the house. Kyuhyun turned to his oldest brother.

 

“Think about it, hyung. We’re the only family he has. And from where I’m sitting it looks as though we’re pretty fine with how everything turned out.”

 

The youngest smiled and saw his brothers do the same. His eyes lingered on Jiyong as a thought entered his mind.

 

“It’s so strange.”

 

“What is?”

 

The Keun boss asked.

 

“I’m just as much related to you as I am to Leeteuk and Heechul. I’ve always just seen you as our company’s rival. I mean, Hujin used to tell us that you would always be our enemy… but now you’re my brother… I don’t know. It’s kinda crazy, right?”

 

Jiyong nodded his head slowly and pursed his lips together.

 

“Yeah. It’s kinda crazy…”

 

Heechul watched the man beside him blink through his heavy, dark orbs as he contemplated the new relationship that had been made aware to them all. He looked over to his little brother and smiled warmly at him.

 

“So, can I call you ‘hyung’?

 

The question caught Jiyong off guard. Heechul felt Jiyong become flustered beside him as he began to shift. He thought it was quite cute.

 

“I… uh-”

 

But the Keun boss was interrupted by his phone ringing. He thankfully reached into his breast pocket and saw who was calling. It was Bobby.

 

“I need to take this.”

 

He brought the phone up to his ear and lowered his voice, turning to face away so that the brothers could still talk to eachother.

 

“How are you feeling, Chullie?”

 

Leeteuk asked. Heechul sat with his hands in his lap and looked very relaxed.

 

“I feel good.”

 

“Wow. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard you say that.”

 

Kyuhyun noted.

 

“I’m glad they’ve been treating you well here.”

 

The oldest said as he looked around the room.

 

“Daesung is a great doctor. He even removed a bullet from Jiyong without any anesthetic.”

 

That story seems to have had become something of a legend at this stage. It caused Kyuhyun to think back to the image of a rain soaked Jiyong clutching the wound at his side as the blood mixed with the falling droplets.

 

“Damn. That is impressive.”

 

The youngest remarked.

 

“They’re good people and they’ve been kind to me. But I’m glad you both are here now…”

 

Heechul trailed off when he felt the body next to his go still like a statue. He turned to see Jiyong nod slowly.

 

“Thank you, Bobby.”

 

The boy brought the phone away from his ear and rested it on his lap. Jiyong remained silent, not looking up from his hands. Heechul glanced back to Leeteuk and Kyuhyun who both look concerned, before looking back to the dragon.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

When he didn’t answer, the Hujin boy placed his hand on Jiyong’s leg.

 

“Ji?”

 

The silent boy blinked one more time before answering.

 

“Keun is dead.”

 

His tone was devoid of any emotion and he just continued to look down. Heechul immediately glanced over to his older brother who had sprung forward on his chair and grabbed Kyuhyun’s knee in the process.

 

“I… I’m sorry...”

 

Heechul spoke with uncertainty, not even sure if he should be saying that. The only thing he knew about the Keun patriarch was what Seunghyun had told him such a long time ago. And it sounded like he was just as cruel as his own father.

 

“I’m not.”

 

Heechul was brought out of his thoughts by Jiyong who was now looking at him through dead eyes. He immediately stood up, hesitating before taking out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lighting one. Heechul could see how the slight man’s hands shook. Jiyong made his way over to the window and held his palm up against the frame, leaning into his own hold. It was clear he was feeling some strong emotions, but just wasn’t able to process them fast enough. Kyuhyun watched the smoke seep from his new brother’s lips, seeing the way it came in little puffs, like his breath was hitched.

 

“How did he…”

 

Leeteuk began, not knowing how to ask such a question about a man he never met, but knew so much about. Jiyong let out a long smoke filled breath before answering. The smoke hit the glass and bounced away like a stone splashing into a lake.

 

“He was sick for a long time.”

 

The small man turned around and sat back against the window ledge.

 

“He always had a weak heart and a few years ago he started to lose his mind. He began to forget names and faces, important dates and deals he had made previously. So much so, that his forgetfulness started to harm the company image and business. So the board thought it was best for me to take over as the face of the company... But he always remembered me… Whenever I would visit him he would tell me the same thing…”

 

He trailed off, prompting Kyuhyun to keep him going.

 

“What did he tell you?”

 

Jiyong bit his lip and took another drag of the almost worn down cigarette sitting between his delicate fingers.

 

“That I was nothing without him.”

 

Even in the dim light the Hujin brothers could see how tense the Keun boy was as he sat in the frame of the grey evening sky.

 

“At the beginning, I was grateful. I looked up to him. He was there at a time in my life when I was lost and angry… but as the years went on… and after everything he did to me…”

 

He took the last drag before throwing the cigarette but on the ground and twisting his shoe over it.

 

“He can burn in hell for all I care.”

 

There was a heavy silence in the room. Nobody knew what to say. Eventually Kyuhyun broke the silence.

 

“When is the funeral?”

 

“Saturday.”

 

Leeteuk nodded.

 

“We’ll need to organise security. I’ll get Shin to call-”

 

“There’s no need.”

 

Jiyong interrupted, making his way to the back of the couch. He stopped in between Heechul’s legs and leaned forward, resting his hands on the sitting man’s shoulders being careful not to place too much of his weight on him. The Hujin boy silently looked up at the dragon.

 

“I’m not going.”

 

He gently massaged the boy’s collar bone for a few seconds before pushing back and wordlessly leaving the room. Kyuhyun looked at Heechul, who was watching the Keun boy as he walked away. Just before Jiyong had disappeared through the hall, he saw the dragon rest his hand against his forehead.

 

Another headache.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The air was tense in the days leading up to the funeral. Word came from Taemin that Hujin had slowed in his efforts to find Heechul or his other two sons. Instead, the CEO was focused on dealing with the backlash from his old ‘rival’s’ death. The seasoned businessman hoped that G-Dragon would turn up to the funeral as he was certain it was him that had taken Heechul. But in his mind that hope wasn’t really sincere, judging from the past between Keun and his protege. Sure, Keun’s end goal was reached and he created a ruthless and cunning heir to his empire, but the relationship between the two would always be based on violence and abuse. That’s something that no amount of rewarding or fake love can ever erase. So Hujin was prepared to get what he wanted even if the Keun boy was absent at the ceremony.

 

In the days that followed, leading up to the funeral, Jiyong was overly introverted and isolated himself from everybody else in the compound. His family had seen this happen before on occasion. Taeyang could always recall the times around the anniversary of Jiyong’s father’s death. The boy would go on long drives or over exert himself in the training room, no doubt taking out all of his anger and frustration on the poor soul he was sparring against. Jiyong was a fierce fighter. He had grace and style, almost like he was dancing, but he hit hard and fast. However, if he let his emotions, most specifically his anger, overtake him - that is where he faltered. Those were the times he would allow an opening. But it was rare. The dragon was good at burying his emotions. But it was times like this where he closed himself off that were just as telling as if he were to shout how he was feeling from the rooftops.

 

It was Friday and nobody had seen him for two days. He was in the compound. He just didn’t want to interact with anyone. Heechul had spent most of the previous two days with Seunghyun and his brothers. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun were quick to forgive Seunghyun’s deceit when they saw their brother smile for the first time in years. Seunghyun had earned Heechul’s trust, respect and friendship so Leeteuk had decided that if Heechul approved then so would he. He owed it to him. And to Seunghyun as he risked a lot for his brother.

 

At around 9:00pm, everybody had gathered in the lounge for some food and some drinks. It was a lively affair. Plenty of memories from some major incidents in the Seoul crime world’s history told from two different sides prompted some funny and interesting stories. There was laughter and the constant clink of glasses being toasted together. Heechul, for the most part, had been enjoying himself even though he didn’t understand a lot of what everybody was talking about, but he had an empty feeling knowing that Jiyong was somewhere in the compound hurting. He knew that the dragon had asked to be left alone for the week, but Heechul wanted to make sure that he was okay. So he turned to his younger brother and spoke in a low voice.

 

“I’m going to check on him.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Kyuhyun asked.

 

“I just want to see his face.”

 

With that, Heechul stood quietly and left the light and fun atmosphere of the lounge and crept into the hallways of the sprawling house. With every step he took, the noise of laughter died down and he was met with nothing but darkness and silence. The cold from the unheated areas of the building seeped into his bones as he reached the door of Jiyong’s room. He reached forward and pressed his ear against the cold wood. There was no noise at all. He turned the handle and opened the door slowly, stepping through into the forbidden space. The room was dark with only the moonlight shining through the window. A slight breeze drifted in, gently dancing with the light curtains. Heechul followed the glow of the moonlight with his eyes until they reached the couch on the far side of the room. It was Jiyong. He crossed the space towards the couch, noticing along the way that there were signs of destruction in the room; broken lamps, pieces of glass sprawled on the floor. He then noticed that the window wasn’t open, the breeze was coming in from a jagged hole in the glass. Small droplets of blood decorated the desk underneath the window, indicating that the dragon had most likely punched it.

 

Heechul came close enough to the boy to see that he was lying on the couch face first, one arm draped over the edge and onto the floor. He saw the lazily wrapped bandage around his knuckles indicating that he had, indeed, smashed the window with his hand. Jiyong was shirtless, but as Heechul kneeled down next to him the first thing he noticed was his face. The boy’s babyface was lying on the cushion of the couch, his chubby cheek pressed against the fabric and pouting lips made him look about ten years old. His eyes were closed and his brows were relaxed. He must have worn himself out after these past few days of self destruction. Heechul now surveyed the rest of Jiyong, searching for any more self inflicted injuries. He instantly saw the expanse of the boy’s back and his lips parted slightly. An immediate familiarity plagued his thoughts when he saw the harshly decorated skin on the dragon’s back. The scarring was heavy and jagged and covered the whole area along Jiyong’s spine. Heechul reached behind him and rested his knuckles against his own back. He returned his gaze to his friend’s sleeping face and without looking down, he took his bandaged hand and brought it up to his own face. He leaned his forehead against the dragon’s knuckles and closed his eyes. After a moment, he felt the hand he was holding grip around his own. He took his face away and looked down at Jiyong again to see the boy’s feline eyes looking back at him.

 

“Hey.”

 

He did his best to make his voice as low and soothing as possible. He had little to no experience at comforting anybody as he had always been on the recieving end.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Jiyong’s glassy eyes were barely open as he kept them fixed on Heechul. He almost seemed like he was either drunk or high, but there was no evidence of any alcohol or drugs in the room. The boy was just in a heavy emotional state.

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Came the dragon’s reply. His deep muffled voice was almost inaudible against the soft cushion of the couch. He let out a small breath and closed his eyes. Heechul didn’t say anything. After a few moments, Jiyong felt a gentle touch against his back. The soft pads of the Hujin boy’s fingers felt like clouds against the rough scars of his past. He sighed at the touch, his eyes remaining closed. His family knew about these scars. They were the ones who had initially patched up the teen all those years ago. But since then, he had rarely allowed anyone to see the bare skin covering his spine. It wasn’t that he was ashamed. He knew that Keun had used him as an example and set him on a pedestal for the rest of the organisation to aspire to become. What was done to him was no secret. In fact, it was a legend told to every new recruit. A way to explain the mystery of their secretive and eccentric young boss. No. He figured that nobody else in his life needed to see the marks that told this story. The story that would forever be burned into his memory.

 

The touch against his body stopped, causing him to slowly peel his eyes open from the near sleep that threatened to take him from being in such a calm state. When he could see again he saw the blurred figure of Heechul standing tall in front of him. Jiyong leaned up on one elbow to get a better view of the man. He wordlessly watched him unbutton his soft white shirt one by one. His fingers moved slowly, but precisely. Once undone all the way, the shirt slid down Heechul’s slender shoulders, leaving the boy’s bare torso visible. Even in the soft moonlight, Jiyong could just about make out the boy’s slim figure. Each rib protruding through his delicate skin. Some were mishapen, made even more apparent by how thin the Hujin boy was. The skin of his body was decorated with scars and marks, signs of being burnt, stabbed and many other unspeakable abuses. Not unlike Jiyong. In fact, very similar to Jiyong.

 

Heechul stared down at the boy with a soft expression before wordlessly turning around so his back was facing the dragon. Jiyong took this moment to slowly push himself up so that he was sitting on the edge of the couch. What he thought he could make out in the dim light was made more clear to him when the Hujin boy lowered down to kneel in between Jiyong’s knees. The Keun boy’s lips parted and he had to sit back a little to take in the sight of the entirety of Heechul’s back. Scarring, almost identical to the marks on Jiyong’s own body, decorated the expanse of the skin that wrapped around the spine and shoulder blades of the Hujin boy.

 

“Heechul.”

 

Jiyong whispered, feeling his hands automatically reach out and mirror Heechul’s actions from moments previously, bringing the pads of his fingertips along each jagged scar. There were so many and they looked so angry, so alien on the boy’s smooth skin. The dragon eventually stopped the movement of his hands, allowing them to rest on each of Heechul’s sides, just over his ribcage. He saw the Hujin boy’s head dip forward so that his chin rested on his chest and leaned forward with his hands on his thighs. Jiyong leaned forward too and rested his own chin on Heechul’s shoulder, allowing his face to lean into the other boy’s neck. He sighed against the almost floral scent of the boy and felt himself completely relax. Heechul slowly tilted his head to the side so that it rested against the dragon’s. The smooth skin of his baby face mixed with the soft graze of the shaved hair along Jiyong’s temple made him smile. Jiyong was always a few things all at once.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Heechul heard the low voice from right beside him. Almost like he had spoken those words himself. He wished he could stay like this forever, but his knee was starting to ache so he placed his hands over the other boy’s that covered his ribs and slowly stood up. He felt the hands of the dragon remain there and gently pull him back so that he was sitting on the couch beside him. Jiyong smiled at Heechul, lighting up his handsome face.

 

“I’m not done looking after you.”

 

He spoke before taking Heechul by the shoulder and pulling him towards him so that his head was laying in his lap. He rested his right hand on the Hujin boy’s stomach and gracefully moved the other through his soft, dark hair. Heechul felt himself relax as he slowly blinked up at Jiyong who was lazily smiling down at him.

 

“You’ve no idea how much I wanted to be down in that basement with you. Every night, the image of you-”

 

“Shh.”

 

Heechul interrupted, taking the hand of the dragon that rested on his stomach in his own.

 

“I’m here now.”

 

He spoke as his thumb gently brushed up and down Jiyong’s palm.

 

“Now you have a new image. Remember now, you and me here together. Jiyong…”

 

The dragon watched the other boy speak, every word warming up his heart in this cold and dark room.

 

“Right now… this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

 

Jiyong beamed down at Heechul. His mouth curved up at both sides, his gums threatening to show between his lips, and his feline eyes turned into crescents.

 

“Me too.”

 

He replied and ran his hand through Heechul’s hair once more. The boy in his lap smiled up at him.

 

“I don’t understand a lot about the world. But I understand pain. Like you.”

 

Heechul spoke in a soft voice, looking at Jiyong through half-lidded eyes. The dragon nodded slightly and let out a short, light breath before replying.

 

“Then you understand me more than anyone else. And I hope it’s the same. I want to be that for you.”

 

The Hujin boy smiled up at the dragon

 

“Now sleep. I’ll be here.”

 

Jiyong felt the grip in his hand tighten before Heechul let his eyes drift closed and sleep overcame him. The Hujin boy’s evened breaths coaxed the dragon’s eyes to become heavy and as sleep found him too, the last thing Jiyong thought about was how much he wished he could stay like this for the next week and skip what he knew was going to be a difficult few days.

 

But unfortunately, tomorrow was going to happen whether he liked it or not.


	23. The Funeral

Part 3

Chapter 2

The Funeral

 

In G-Dragon’s absence, Taeyang, Seungri, Bobby and Mino were the representatives who attended Keun’s funeral. There was a huge turnout. Many media outlets were parked beside the graveyard doing their best to get some coverage. Each of the gangs in Seoul had some members in attendence to pay their respects and Taemin, Taeyeon and Chanyeol from the Hujin family were even there, albeit sitting in the back. But Hujin himself was not. The ceremony was long and drawn out, just how Keun would have wanted so by the time everybody had shuffled out to the grave it was almost sundown. It was going well so far, but Taeyang felt on edge. He didn’t even know why, but it felt as though there was a mutual unease that everybody shared in the air.

 

As the coffin was being placed over the grave site he scanned the crowd in attendence. He spotted the Hujin family members and saw how nervous Taemin looked. It was like as if the young man was waiting for something. Taeyang switched his gaze to Taeyeon, but she seemed calm and Chanyeol was just looking down at his own hands in front of him.

 

“What is it?”

 

Seungri whispered from beside him. The shorter man just narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

 

“I can’t tell. It’s just-”

 

All of a sudden loud tyre screeching could be heard and a dark car pulled up. The Keun members didn’t have any time to react before the black tinted windows wound down and machine gun barrels stuck out.

 

“Oh, fuck… Everybody down!”

 

Mino managed to blurt out before the bullets came flying. Immediately there was panic as the sickening sound of flying metal and screaming filled the gravesite. Everybody was scrambling and bumping into eachother as they tried to escape from danger, but their erratic behaviour just added to the chaos. Taeyang was crouched behind a gravestone and turned to see if he could find anybody. There were already a number of bodies on the ground, but he felt relief wash through him as he spotted Seungri behind another gravestone not far from him. The younger member ducked from behind the stone and shot some rounds at the car before glancing across to Taeyang and waving, indicating that he was alright.

 

Taeyang fired off some rounds himself at the car still parked at the side of the road, but he couldn’t make out any of the people shooting from the windows. He returned behind his cover and scanned the hectic crowd for the rest of his family. Some members of the smaller families in Seoul had also started shooting at the car. Pretty soon they were outnumbered so the attackers eventually ceased fire before speeding away, leaving behind what looked like a scene from a horror movie. There were bodies littered all over the graveyard, some still and some crawling and writhing from being wounded. People were screaming and crying and there was just general confusion. The media were just as rattled, but washing their cameras over the devastating scene.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Taeyang had a grip on Seungri’s shoulder, looking him over for any injuries.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m fine. You?”

 

“I’m good.”

 

Taeyang replied, turning and trying to make out the other two members.

 

“Where are Bobby and Mino?”

 

Without another word, the two Keun members combed through the sea of bodies to try and find their friends. Seungri had split from his older brother and was checking nearer to where the media was stationed. Taeyang had made his way to the far side, towards the flower stall and as he turned his head to the side he felt his heart stop. He couldn’t take another step before his knees buckled and he fell down. There, lying still on the ground were Bobby and Mino.

 

 

\---

 

 

“Jiyong! Ji!”

 

He heard his name being called over and over again. It was frantic and urgent and he could instantly tell how serious they sounded. He shot up from his bed and just as he did Seunghyun burst through the door. Jiyong rubbed his hand through his scruffy hair and was about to ask what was wrong when he felt the taller man grab his wrist and lead him out of the room and down the corridor.

 

“You need to see this.”

 

He was dragged to the living room where he saw everybody around the television. Deasung turned to him with a mix of shock, sadness and anger on his face. Leeteuk was stood with his arms folded, his hand gripping his chin. Kyuhyun was beside him with his fists clenched tight. The other Hujin family members were also watching the television with equally disturbed expressions. Jiyong turned to look at the screen and instantly saw the chaotic images being shown. The words of the news report slowly sank into his brain.

 

‘The scene here is devastating. What you are seeing now is the aftermath of a violent shooting that took place moments ago at the funeral of the former CEO of the Keun Corporation. As of now we cannot confirm the number of casualties, but there are dead and wounded already being accounted for.’

 

Jiyong’s eyes grew wide as the image of the graveyard was displayed. He saw the bodies sprawled on the grass and the people frantically running around trying to escape the bullets flying towards them from the replay footage. Then he spotted a familiar face. It was Seungri at the corner of the screen and everybody could just about hear that he was calling for his family members.

 

The dragon’s breaths started to pick up and he grabbed his phone from the coffee table, quickly dialling his right hand’s number. Seunghyun could feel the concern radiating from his little brother. The seconds leading up to Taeyang answering felt like a lifetime, but eventually the familiar voice was heard.

 

“Ji!”

 

“Youngbae! I’m watching the news right now. What the fuck happened? Are you okay?”

 

The noise from the other end of the line was almost deafening as there was still a lot of confusion and panic in the graveyard.

 

“Jiyong, I…”

 

In the background Seungri’s voice could be heard.

 

“Come on God damnit! Come on! Mino!”

 

Jiyong felt his heart stop. Seunghyun turned to Daesung and felt a shiver through his spine.

 

“Youngbae…”

 

Shallow breaths could be heard.

 

“I l-lost them in the crossfire… Bobby and M-Mino…”

 

The Keun boss felt his eyes well up and a lump in his throat form as dread filled his stomach.

 

“A-Are they…”

 

The next few seconds felt like a lifetime.

 

Taeyang let out a hitched breath before answering.

 

“I’m s-sorry, Ji.”

 

That was it. Seunghyun was sure that that was the moment that he witnessed his best friend shatter. The other men could feel the room almost heat up, as if the dragon was actually breathing fire. Jiyong’s hand shook as the grip on his phone tightened, almost enough to crush the device. His head dipped low so that his chin touched his chest and he shut his eyes tight. Daesung saw tears fall down from his brother’s face.

 

There was a heavy silence for a moment. Nobody knew what to do or how to react as the horrific images replayed on the television screen. Suddenly, Jiyong threw his phone to the floor, smashing it to pieces. He let out a pained scream and reached down, taking the edge of the glass coffee table in both hands and flipping it up with all of his force. The impact of the surface hitting the ground caused it to smash into tiny, sharp pieces of glass and dance through the air. Kyuhyun took in the heartbreaking sight of his brother dropping to his knees and gripping his hair in both hands. The delicate shards of glass had embedded themselves in his exposed arms and hands, causing little droplets of blood to fall down his skin, like tears.

 

The dragon bent forward, leaning all the way so that his head was touching the glass covered floor.

 

And he cried silently through heavy and pained breaths.

 

Seunghyun gulped away the lump in his throat and tore his eyes away from the soul crushing site to look at Daesung who already had tears rolling down his own cheeks. He took the medic by the back of his head and pulled him close. Shindong sat silently on the arm of the sofa and sadly contemplated everything that was happening. Eunhyuk patted Donghae on the shoulder who was starting to blink away tears of his own. Yesung looked up at Siwon who had his hand holding the bridge of his nose. This time, the gunman felt a weight against his side where his gun was strapped. Leeteuk took Kyuhyun’s hand in his and held tight. Seeing him watch his new brother’s heartache broke his heart too.

 

Eventually, Jiyong slowly kneeled up straight. He looked up at the ceiling and brought his hands down over his face and dropped them onto his thighs. He took in a deep breath and lowered his face back down. When he opened his eyes he saw Heechul sitting on couch in front of him. His hands gripped the edge of the cushion and his eyes were closed. The colour had drained from his body and he was eerily silent. Jiyong just watched the boy until he eventually opened his sad eyes and looked straight at the dragon.

 

“This is my fault.”

 

His voice was small and low and laced with guilt. Jiyong furrowed his brow at the boy’s words.

 

“It was Hujin. I know it.”

 

“Heechul…”

 

Kyuhyun began, but didn’t really know what else he was going to say.

 

Heechul looked up between his two brothers, a single tear falling from his eye.

 

“He still wants me back and these are the lengths he’s willing to go to.”

 

“But that’s it then.”

 

Shindong spoke from the corner.

 

“His reputation is ruined. A dozen cameras saw his men mow down a whole crowd of people.”

 

Jiyong flinched at those words.

 

Eunhyuk turned to Shindong questioningly.

 

“But hyung, do we really know that it was him?”

 

Shindong nodded and stood up, making his way to the television. He picked up the remote and waited a moment before pausing the screen and pointing at the car. This particular camera shot was pretty close to the car so a face could be made out through the open window of the back seat. Jiyong slowly turned around and narrowed his eyes at the screen. His blood began to boil as the face became clear to him.

 

Hujin.

 

“And I’m sure many more people who were close enough could confirm. It was Hujin, Jiyong.”

 

The dragon remained silent, simply letting the rage slowly overtake his body as he knelt in the glass.

 

“So, he really doesn’t care about his reputation anymore, does he? I mean, if he’s willing to be recorded doing this…”

 

Siwon commented, pushing his glasses further up along the bridge of his nose before placing his hands on his hips. Seunghyun looked down at Heechul who blinked slowly and returned his gaze up to him. Neither said anything, they just shared the same sad exchange. After a moment, Heechul blinked again slowly and swallowed the lump in his throat.

 

“I’m the reason your friends were killed.”

 

Guilt was dripping from his voice. He stood up and approached his brothers.

 

“I’ll go to him. Then maybe this madness will stop.”

 

Before Leeteuk or Kyuhyun could make a move to prevent him, Heechul was stepping away and walking towards the door, purposefully avoiding Jiyong as he felt like he couldn’t look at him after what happened. The dragon’s display of anger and grief broke his heart. So he attempted to step around the still kneeling man, but before he could get far he felt an iron grip on his wrist and he turned to see the man that he couldn’t even look at holding him in place.

 

“Don’t fucking move.”

 

Jiyong spoke with an intense command, not even looking up at the other boy. There was no way he was letting him walk out of this room. His grip was hot and felt like barbed wire around Heechul’s skin. The dragon slowly stood up and turned around. He faced Heechul and stepped forward, their bodies touching, still gripping his wrist. Heechul felt an intensity through his touch. Jiyong looked into the boy’s eyes. There was no anger directed towards Heechul, but he could see the Keun boss’ emotions being held behind his glassy, red orbs. He just watched the boy until Jiyong tilted his head to the side and looked at Leeteuk and Kyuhyun from over Heechul’s shoulder. He narrowed his feline eyes.

 

“I’m going to kill your father.”

 

Kyuhyun immediatey nodded and placed his hands on his hips.

 

“About time. That psychopath needs to be stopped now.”

 

Then all eyes were on Leeteuk who glanced to Kyuhyun for a moment before switching his gaze to the back of Heechul’s head.

 

“Chullie…”

 

Jiyong kept his eyes fixed on Leeteuk from over the boy’s shoulder. He could feel Heechul’s body shake beside him. The oldest Hujin brother saw Heechul silently drop his head forward so that he was leaning on Jiyong’s shoulder. The dragon looked down at Heechul’s face which was hidden against his own collar bone. He felt the weight against his body and the heavy, even breaths against his neck. He wordlessly brought his arm around to rest on Heechul’s side, just over his ribs, before blinking his feline eyes slowly back up at Leeteuk and gently nodding. Leeteuk nodded in reply, an understanding being met.

 

Seunghyun watched as everybody began to gather around the couch to start coming up with a plan when his phone that sat in his breast pocket began to ring. He looked at the caller I.D.

 

Hujin.

 

He felt his breathing stop and automatically he dragged his finger across the screen to answer, bringing the reciever up to his ear.

 

He waited.

 

“Seunghyun. I figured you were still alive. Long time no see. I hope you're enjoying my son.”

 

He would always know that deep and disturbing voice. He felt his own grip tighten on his phone as the anger seeped in.

 

“I saw what you did, you heartless bastard.”

 

“Those are some strong words, Seunghyun. You wound me.”

 

“Oh, I’m going to do a lot more than that. Just you wait.”

 

“Well, see. Here’s the thing. I’m done waiting. I know your’re one big happy family right now. I know you’re with that punk GD and I know you’re with my sons.”

 

Seunghyun instinctively glanced up at the group sitting around the fireplace.

 

“So, here’s what I need you to do. Tell that little deliquent you call your boss to bring my son to the empty underpass in Seodaemun. Tomorrow night. Eleven pm. No fucking around this time. I have an army surrounding the Keun compound just waiting to destroy everyone inside. If you thought today was bad…”

 

Then the line went dead.

 

Seunghyun brought the phone away from his face and approached the group. Jiyong noticed his friend’s silence and held his hand up to quieten the room.

 

“Seunghyun, what is it?”

 

The assistant finally returned his phone to pocket.

 

“That was Hujin…”


	24. The Underpass

Part 3

Chapter 3

The Underpass

 

 

Two black vehicles cruised through the dimly lit night streets of Seoul. In the first, Taeyang, Daesung, Seungri, Siwon, Eunhyuk, Donghae and Yesung were preparing themselves, checking that they had everything they needed. In the second car, Jiyong, Heechul, Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, Seunghyun and Shindong sat in an intense silence. With every street light that passed they came closer to the source of all of the negativity in their lives. Jiyong’s fist was clenched tight, resting on his knee as he watched the light dance by the tinted window. There was a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was nervous. He wasn’t familiar with this part of town and he knew that Hujin didn’t have a big presence here either so why did his enemy choose such an obscure and specific place to meet? Maybe neutral ground was best for a meeting such as this. Jiyong was out for blood so who knew what was going to happen.

 

He felt a warmth envelop his strained knuckles and looked down to see a hand holding his own. He turned to see the face of the boy beside him being illuminated with each passing street light that seemed to strain the Hujin boy's sensitive eyes a little each time. His smooth features appeared and disappeared before him.

 

“Blink and you’ll miss me.”

 

Heechul said and smiled shyly at the dragon. His strange choice of words were something that Jiyong instantly got. They made him smile in return.

 

“If I blink every time the light passes then I’ll never see you again.”

 

He offered cheekily in reply and studied Heechul’s soft features. He knew what he was trying to do.

 

“I’m calm. Don’t worry.”

 

“I can feel you, Ji.”

 

He put action to his words by gently massaging the dragon’s hand that he was holding. Jiyong looked down at the action and frowned.

 

“It’s okay. If you were calm then I would be worried.”

 

Jiyong looked back up just watched the other boy’s face, almost as if he was burning the image into his mind. He wordlessly brought his free hand up and caressed his smooth cheek. Heechul let out a soft breath through his nose and closed his eyes. After a moment. He felt a weight against his forehead and a warm breath against his face. He opened his eyes again to see the dragon leaning his forehead against his own.

 

“No matter what happens, don’t come in.”

 

Jiyong’s voice was soft and warm against his face.

 

“Please. Promise me…”

 

The dragon pleaded. There was not a single hint of a command in his tone. He respected Heechul’s ability to choose and trusted him fully, but if he had to beg he would.

 

“I…”

 

Heechul began. How could he really promise that knowing that he was the one that Hujin wanted? When Jiyong entered that underpass empty-handed -- what then? Luckily, he didn’t have the chance to reply before the car came to a halt.

 

“We’re here.”

 

Leeteuk informed the occupants. Jiyong pulled back slightly from Heechul, removing his weight from the boy’s face.

 

“Stay with Shin. I’ll think of something.”

 

The dragon gently rubbed his thumb along Heechul’s palm before he opened the door and stepped out into the cool, night air. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun peeked back into the car.

 

“It’ll be okay, Chullie.”

 

His oldest brother spoke. Kyuhyun smiled sweetly at him before stepping away from the window. The doors slammed shut, leaving only Shindong and Heechul inside the car. The assistant turned to the boy.

 

“Don’t worry. They’ll be fine.”

 

Heechul knew that the rest of the Hujin family in the other car were there to protect him, but also their for back-up if anything was to happen inside so it made him uneasy to see only Jiyong, Seunghyun and his two brothers step into the unknown.

 

“That’s easy to say, Shin, but you know the man that’s waiting for me down there. How do you think he’ll react when he sees me not there? You said it yourself. He doesn’t care about the company anymore so now he has nothing to lose.”

 

“He has you.”

 

“I’m not his to lose. Anyway, I’m stuck out here. What good does that do anyone?”

 

“It keeps you safe.”

 

Shindong rested his hand reassuringly on Heechul’s shoulder.

 

“I know it’s frustrating and it feels like we’re doing nothing, but it’s for the best. You being in there adds more emotion to an already extremely emotional situation.”

 

Heechul simply stared sadly back at his friend.

 

“Shin…”

 

He pleaded.

 

“Look, Kyu said if things get heated he’ll text me. Then and only then will we make a move, okay?”

 

Heechul nodded and sat back, letting his head fall back against the rest. He gazed out at the moon in the black sky and thought about falling asleep on Jiyong’s lap.

 

He hoped he would get a chance to do that again.

 

\--

 

Jiyong approached the guarded entrance to the underpass, followed by Seunghyun and the two Hujin brothers. Two armed men stood at the large steel door that had been installed after the short underground tunnel had been abandoned over thirty years ago. Something about the imposing steel seemed familiar to the dragon, but he shrugged it off as he opened his suit jacket to show the men that he was unnarmed. The others did the same and they were granted entrance. Having these men here seemed like an unfair advantage to Hujin, but the car full of his boys did even the playing field.

 

As the huge metal doors creaked open, they were met with darkness. Jiyong stepped through and instantly felt the dampness seep into his skin and felt the cold air sweep past his face. He felt uneasy. Like something was wrong. But he continued regardless, reaching some steps and slowly making his way down into the underpass. When they reached the bottom of the steps Jiyong glanced ahead to see a corner. With one more step he stopped and placed his hand against the tiled wall. Seunghyun peered around in front of the smaller man and saw that his brows were furrowed, almost as if in confusion.

 

“You okay?”

 

“I... This place feels-”

 

He stopped himself when Leeteuk and Kyuhyun became just as concerned as Seunghyun. The dragon leaned back away from the wall and straightened himself.

 

“Come on.”

 

His voice remained unsure, but he rounded the corner with the confidence saved for meetings like this, even if it wasn’t felt by his whole body. He just couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling in the back of his mind. The feeling that was making it’s way right around between his eyes as he felt the first signs of a headache coming.

 

When they fully turned the corner, the expanse of the underpass became clear. It stretched about fifty feet across, just covering the width of the road above them. At the other end of the dark corridor that was lit up by floodlights stood five figures. They only became more clear as the dragon came closer, but with every step they took, the heavier Jiyong felt. Like he was being gripped around the chest by a chain that was being tightened little by little. The ache in his head was becoming more prominent, turning itself into a painful throbbing and a sick feeling formed in his stomach. Seunghyun walked right behind him, but he could see the damp strands of hair and the bead of sweat roll down Jiyong’s temple. Something was wrong.

 

The echo of their footsteps filled the cavernous walkway and after what felt like a lifetime, both parties were at a reasonable distance from eachother. Jiyong could now make out Hujin standing across from them. He also recognised who was standing just behind the man. Taemin, Chanyeol, Minho and Key. All Hujin members.

 

The tension in the air was thick.

 

“Glad you could make it.”

 

Hujin spoke. His deep voice occupied the entire space of the long space. Jiyong remained silent. Half of him was examining every movement of the man across from him and the other half was doing his best to fight away the overwhelming feeling of discomfort and plain unease that was consuming his whole body.

 

“Hello, boys. It’s been quite some time.”

 

Hujin looked over Jiyong’s shoulder to his two sons.

 

“It’s good to see you both, but pray tell me. Where is your brother?”

 

“He’s not here.”

 

Kyuhyun replied immediately, to which the older man folded his arms and glared at his youngest son. After a moment he switched his gaze to his oldest son, making sure to make them both feel the weight of his presence.

 

“You both disappoint me. Since when did you start wanting to share the same company with the likes of this?”

 

Hujin stepped a little closer to the dragon who had his fist clenched at his side and his jaw wound tight.

 

“I asked you for one thing, boy.”

 

His voice was low and threatening, but it did nothing to intimidate Jiyong.

 

“You’re getting nothing from me, old man.”

 

Hujin chuckled and took another step closer to Jiyong.

 

“Then why did you bother coming all this way to meet, huh?”

 

This time it was Jiyong who stepped closer to his enemy.

 

“You’ve killed people that I love. Bobby... Mino... my father...”

 

Taemin glanced to Chanyeol nervously when he saw the Keun boss take another step closer so that the two men were almost touching.

 

“I came here to kill you.”

 

The dragon’s voice was fierce and matter-of-fact, and Hujin did believe his intent, but he could detect a strain in the younger man. He took this moment to take in his full image. Jiyong always dressed well; smart and professional, but with his own eccentric flare. When Hujin’s eyes met with the dragon’s again he smirked, noticing the sheen of sweat on the boy’s temple, the dampness to his hair, the slight furrow of his brow.

 

“You’re feeling something, aren’t you?”

 

Jiyong blinked at the older man and his lips parted slightly as if he was going to answer, but there was only a confused silence.

 

“Do you know why I chose this place to meet tonight? An abandoned underpass so far away from both of our compounds.”

 

The dragon glanced around the dark expanse of the underground tunnel that they were standing in.

 

“It’s familiar to you, isn’t it? But you can’t remember why.”

 

With each new space of the area that Jiyong took in, the haze in his head began to clear. He watched the boy survey each tile on the wall that was lit up by the harsh glow of the floodlight.

 

Then he saw it. The boy’s jaw tensing. His brow rising. His body freezing.

 

The moment Jiyong realised where he was.

 

“Do you remember now?”

 

Jiyong felt like his knees could buckle at any moment, like the air had been knocked out of him.

 

“That’s it, boy. Let the memories fill your aching head.”

 

With each moment that passed, Jiyong became heaver and heavier with the weight of the memories from the past. He shut his eyes tight and brought his hand up to his forehead, clutching his black hair. Kyuhyun and Leeteuk looked at eachother in confusion. Even the men on Hujin’s side seemed confused. Seeing the infamous G-Dragon seem so shaken was unsettling. The oldest man looked behind Jiyong to the taller man.

 

“Seunghyun. You may recall a time, around eight years ago, when your little brother here vanished from the face of the earth for just about three weeks. Does that sound right?”

 

The dark memory hit the assistant like a tonne of bricks. He instantly looked at his friend who he could see from behind was hunched forward with his head in his hands. He could feel the pain radiating from the dragon. Seunghyun blinked and swallowed the lump in his throat when it clicked.

 

“Here. This is where he was...”

 

Sadness and anger washed through the tall man.

 

“How do you even know…”

 

Hujin smirked and raised up his two hands to display the empty hallway, doing a circle on the spot.

 

“Who do you think gave Keun the idea?”

 

Seunghyun was stunned into silence so the older man continued.

 

“Keun and I have always been… quite good friends. And around that time, he told me how much of a defiant little punk this kid right here was being for him.”

 

He gestured to the distressed man between them.

 

“So, I suggested he take a page from my book.”

 

Seunghyun instantly knew.

 

“Heechul…”

 

“Right.”

 

Hujin replied, almost proudly.

 

“At that stage I had some, shall I say, effective techniques for disciplining misbehaviour-- Heechul being my beloved example. So, I provided Keun with the location, the tools and some of these techniques in exchange for… a small fee.”

 

He glanced down at Jiyong’s twisted form. The boy was struggling to fight against the intense memories that were flooding into his head and drowning him in darkness.

 

“You would know something about that. Wouldn’t you, boy?”

 

The dragon didn’t react.

 

“What do you mean ‘a small fee’?”

 

Seunghyun asked.

 

“Well, I of course wanted some time with the kid.”

 

Hujin bent down, leaning his hands on his knees to get a look up at Jiyong’s pained face.

 

“To see if he was as weak as his father.”

 

Suddenly, the boy straightened up as best he could. He slowly towered over the still bent Hujin, staring down at him with a fierce and intense hatred. Tear tracks stained his cheeks and some of his damp hair had fallen forward. Hujin was impressed, standing up fully. Jiyong never took his eyes from the man, even when he became the smaller one again.

 

“But you surprised me, Jiyong.”

 

Hujin was looking down at the boy with something that was extremely similar to admiration.

 

“Some of the things I did to you would have killed other men. You’re a tough kid. Just like Heechul. ”

 

Leeteuk instantly felt a wave wash through him. He didn’t quite know what the feeling was. He just knew that it was the first time he had ever heard his father say something about Heechul that wasn’t negative and sounded like he meant it.

 

Jiyong had a million things to say in reply, but nothing came from his mouth. He simply closed his eyes and clenched his fists tight, doing his best to keep the happy memories of his father and the painful memories of this place from becoming too overwhelming, but it was an almost impossible task when Hujin was standing right in front of him.

 

When Jiyong had initially returned from the underpass all those years ago he had changed from a determined, well-meaning, but naive teenager into a hardened, cold and damaged young man. At first, nobody dared ask him what happened and Seungri was even a little nervous in the presence of his new brother. Then pretty soon the story of the rise of the dragon started to emerge as he and his crew began to climb the family ladder rung by rung. Jiyong had blocked what had happened to him from his mind, the only reminders being the scars that covered his body and the story that had been become infamous throughout the underworld. His head was so messed up that he didn’t even recognise the boy in the story as being him. It was, and as soon as his crew had found at what he wouldn’t or couldn’t actually tell them himself, they weren't scared as was the intent, they were heartbroken.

 

Seunghyun and Taeyang no longer saw him as their lovable and cheeky little brother. Daesung and Seungri no longer saw him as their safe and protective big brother. He had become a person almost devoid of any emotion. Every now and then they were able to meet their brother again. When his headaches started, his pain made him vulnerable and it was those moments where the persona of G-Dragon disappeared completely and Jiyong needed his brothers more than anything. But then, just as fast, he would be gone again.

 

Until he found out about Heechul. In him, Jiyong found somebody he could connect with. Somebody who could understand him and who he could understand too. To his family, after meeting Heechul, it was like they had their brother back. That’s why they instantly took him in without question. That, and seeing what had been done to him since he was a child. So the need to help the boy became Jiyong’s and his crew’s number one priority. And that was why they would never let Hujin near Heechul again.

 

“Jiyong.”

 

The man’s deep and husky voice brought the dragon out of his thoughts. He noticed his tone was a little softer.

 

“I know you have my son. Bring him to me and you have my word. No more bloodshed. I’ll take him and leave. You won’t ever see me again. Leeteuk and Kyuhyun now have full control of the company anyway.”

 

The boys in question looked at eachother. Taemin made confused eye contact with Kyuhyun from behind Hujin.

 

“I’d say by now the entire police force is after me.”

 

The man remarked, almost laughing before looking Jiyong in the eye.

 

“So, what do you say?”

 

All eyes were on the dragon. He was still clearly suffering his internal conflict, visible by his weak posture and tense expression. He looked down for a moment. For anybody who didn’t know him, it would look as if Jiyong was actually contemplating Hujin’s offer. But his brothers knew better.

 

Jiyong slowly raised his head and took a step forward. His piercing eyes bore into Hujin’s soul and his voice dropped to almost a growl.

 

“You are so blind.”

 

Without another word, the dragon lunged forward, driving his body into Hujin. They both stumbled back, the older man crashing into one of the floodlights causing it to smash and begin to flicker. The others didn’t hesitate at all. Seunghyun, Kyuhyun and Leeteuk bolted forward towards the Hujin members that were loyal to their father. Seunghyun went straight for Chanyeol as they were the most matched in height, leaving the two brothers to take on Taemin, Minho and Key. Taemin was a good fighter, but luckily for them he was young and inexperienced so he didn’t prove to be too much of a difficulty.

 

Meanwhile, Jiyong had Hujin pinned against the wall. He reared back and punched the older man in the jaw. He had a strong force and Hujin definitely felt it. He needed to think fast or he was going to be bested by this kid. As he began to strategise in his head, he saw the almost animalistic eyes of the dragon shut tight as soon as the lights began to flicker again. Jiyong’s grip on the man loosened and he brought one hand up to his forehead. Hujin used this opportunity to knee the boy below the belt and take advantage of his size by grabbing the now bent figure by the shirt and dragging him to the concrete floor. He landed on top of Jiyong, driving all the air from his lungs. He wrapped one of his large hands around the boy’s delicate throat.

 

“Is it all coming back to you now?”

 

He watched and felt the dragon below him struggle and try to escape his hold, but Hujin’s weight on top of the smaller boy made it impossible for him to break free. The excruciating pain in his head and the iron grip around his throat didn’t help either. The blinding lights were also confusing his thoughts, making it almost impossible for him to focus on what was happening. If anything, it only gave the horrible memories access to the present.

 

“Do you remember this place? How I had you just like this? Taking you to the brink of death only to bring you back at the last moment.”

 

He turned the boys head so that his left cheek touched the ground, giving him a view of the wall they were next to. He saw something he couldn’t quite make out, but when the lights flashed again it became clear to him. Rusted shackles hung from the concrete bricks. Jiyong instantly saw the image of a boy chained up and half dead, slumped against the wall.

 

“You can see yourself, can’t you? Right there. Helpless. Tell me, those lashes on your back. They look awfully similar to Heechul’s, right?”

 

The dragon immediately tried to reject the images that quickly began to form in his head by thrashing his body in the hopes of throwing Hujin off of him. For a moment it actually worked. The surprise of his jagged movements caused the older man to lose his balance temporarily, but he managed to keep a grip on Jiyong’s shirt. He gathered himself and punched Jiyong hard in the kidney, very close to his gunshot wound. That killed any hopes Jiyong had of gaining the upperhand as once again Hujin was on top of him.

 

Jiyong was getting frustrated. He wasn’t usually so weak that he wasn’t able to find a way out of this, but the mixture of the increasing pressure in his head, the flashing lights , distant banging sounds and the vivid memories dragging him back to the worst time in his life, there was just no way he could fight back.

 

But just then he suddenly felt a quick breeze beside him and the weight from on top of him vanish. He blinked heavily and leaned up onto his elbows. When the flash of light illuminated the space he could make out Seunghyun tackling Hujin into the wall. The dragon sat up fully and turned his body so he was on his hands and knees. He took a moment to try to clear his head enough so he could focus. He looked back up to gauge the fight above him, but it was like watching a stop-motion movie with the constant and sporadic flashing lights. One moment he saw Seunghyun and Hujin swinging out of eachother, the next he saw Chanyeol and Key appear and then Taeyang.

 

Wait, Taeyang? Had the others joined them? He shakily stood up and looked around for the others, but all he saw were Leeteuk and Kyuhyun fighting back Taemin and Minho. He took a step around and saw Seunghyun and Taeyang with Key and Chanyeol. The fight was viscous and everybody looked wild. But before he was able to continue his scan he felt a presence beside him. Without thinking he violently lashed out, swinging his arms and hitting hard. He focused his eyes and saw that, luckily, it was indeed Hujin who he had hit as the older man was bent forward holding his nose. The dragon brought his knee forward, driving it up into Hujin’s forehead. The older man stumbled back a little and just as Jiyong was going to advance, another blinding flash sent a wave of pain through his skull and he instantly dropped to his knees holding his head.

 

Hujin shook his head to gain his bearings. He looked around and saw everybody engaged in battle and dancing together through the flickering lights. He refocused his attention in front of him to the boy on his knees with his head in his hands. He slowly stepped towards him, taking his time and savouring his own movements. He stopped in front of him and kneeled down, gripping his black hair. He lifted the dragon’s head so that he could look into those eyes that even now still kept the fire going inside of them.

 

“You put up a good fight, Jiyong. Your father would be proud.”

 

Jiyong only stared back at him through heavy, but hate-filled eyes.

 

“I’m going to kill you now.”

 

Hujin finished and stood up, letting go of Jiyong’s black locks. He reached into his breast pocked and unveiled the gun he had been carrying. He slowly raised it and pointed it down at the dragon’s head. The boy looked back up and stared right into Hujin’s eyes. After a moment of silence, Jiyong leaned forward so that the cold metal was pressing against his own damp forehead. He didn’t know why, but he let his anger and confusion dictate his movements. Hujin looked down at the defiant boy one last time before taking in one deep breath and cocking his gun. But just as he was about to pull the trigger he saw something.

 

Jiyong’s defiant glare faltered for a moment causing him to shift his gaze to just over Hujin’s shoulder and furrow his brow slightly. As the light flashed and Hujin saw the boy’s confused expression, the older man turned to where the dragon was looking and was immediately shocked.

 

“Heechul?”

 

There stood his son, as sure of himself as he had ever been. He didn’t look weak or frightened. He simply looked like a man who had been given a chance to find out who he was. And that terrified his father more than anything ever had.

 

The boy blinked slowly at the man, as if for the last time, before speaking flatly.

 

“Goodbye.”

 

The next few moments passed in a flash. Hujin felt the cold metal in his now weakened grip disappear. He turned just as another flicker from the strobelight harshly blinked and when everything was illuminated again he saw the dragon, as fierce as ever, standing in front of him pointing his own gun at his face.

 

Then a loud bang echoed through the underpass.

 

Everybody stopped and froze. The lights blackened suddenly and when they flashed back on Hujin’s dead body was crumpled on the ground by Jiyong and Heechul’s feet. Smoke delicately trickled from the gun that the dragon still held in his outstretched arm. Heechul looked across at him and saw that the spatters of blood that now decorated Jiyong’s face and shirt. He was sure he looked quite similar. But the dragon was simply staring down at the dead body beneath them, breathing heavily. Without a word, Heechul reached forward slowly and gently pushed the boy’s arm down by his side. Jiyong automatically dropped the gun to the ground.

 

“Jiyong, I would have-”

 

“No. You’ve never hurt anyone in your life."

 

Jiyong turned to him.

 

"I won’t let you start.”

 

Heechul smiled sadly at the boy before Kyuhyun and Leeteuk appeared beside them, glaring down at the lifeless body of their father. The youngest nudged the man’s shoulder with his foot.

 

“Good riddance.”

 

He spat bitterly. Leeteuk instead just surveyed the blood that still oozed from his father’s head. He then glanced up and the saw the same blood on both Heechul and Jiyong’s faces. His gaze remained on Heechul and after a moment he stepped forward and took his brother in his arms. As both his brothers embraced, Kyuhyun placed his hand on Jiyong’s shoulder and smiled at him warmly.

 

Footsteps then echoed through the space as figures came bounding down the stairs.

 

“Everything okay? We heard a gunshot.”

 

Donghae, Eunhyuk, Yesung and Siwon came down followed by Shindong, Daesung and Seungri. They saw what had happened.

 

“Oh.”

 

Seungri muttered when he saw the body.

 

“What will we do with these?”

 

Seunghyun asked, referring to the now unconscious bodies of Chanyeol, Key, Minho and Taemin. Taeyang kneeled down and wiped his bloody knuckles on Taemin’s shirt, remembering seeing him at the funeral.

 

“Leave them.”

 

Leeteuk said, exasparatedly.

 

“They’ll be dealt with later.”

 

Suddenly another flicker flashed through the room and Jiyong brought his palm up to his face again, straining against his own touch. Heechul was immediately next to him, bent forward and watching the smaller man’s pained movements. Seeing that Jiyong clearly wasn’t there anymore, he knew he needed to get him away from this place.

 

“We should get out of here.”

 

And with that, the thirteen men exited that dark and twisted underpass, leaving behind what was left of the old Hujin family.

 

Four unconscious bodies and one dead one.


	25. Home

Part 3

Final Chapter

Home

 

 

It wasn’t long before word spread about what had happened. ‘Hujin disappears’, was what the media had spread. Actually, nobody knew for certain that he was dead as his body was taken care of quite quickly by Leeteuk and Kyuhyun’s crew. And the remaining members of Hujin’s entourage; Chanyeol, Taemin, Minho, Key and Taeyeon were accepted into the brother’s company. They knew full well how commanding and overbearing their own father could be so they decided to give them a chance to shed the past and come work for them.

 

Leeteuk and Kyuhyun released a statement announcing their takeover of the company and got word around on the underground that they were running their father’s operations now. Nobody put up a fight. In fact, they were welcomed with open arms. There was to be no more drugs or pointless bloodshed. Everything was now going to be completely legitimate.

 

And after long consideration, the brothers decided to tell the truth about Heechul and their father’s cruelty. To alleviate the burden of keeping everything a secret, but also to remove any possible blame from Jiyong and the Keun Family. Of course, there was outrage and disbelief as soon as the public was made aware of what really happened and countless interviews were requested, but all were denied. Heechul’s roll in the future of the company was also called into question, but Leeteuk immediately made it clear that he would have nothing to do with business operations of the Hujin Corporation.

 

Countless requests were also made to G-Dragon and members of the Keun Family in light of everything, but Jiyong refused any interviews as he hated media attention, but also because he was in no state to be in the public eye yet.

 

Returning to the underpass had a profound effect on Jiyong. The memories that rushed into his aching head were severe and intense. The flashing lights, his headaches, the familiar damp smell and the cold grip on his skin coupled with physically being back there in the presence of that man was almost too much for him to handle.

 

It had been a week since and Jiyong was unable to sleep. Heechul didn’t leave his side and he didn’t want him to either. The Hujin boy soothed him and helped him to stay in the present, which was proving increasingly difficult for both of them. The dragon wasn’t right. He wasn’t entirely there most of the time. It was like as if he was somewhere else in his head and it worried Heechul. Sure, there were moments when he was back and Jiyong knew that the whole ordeal had been extremely difficult on Heechul too. He wanted to help him through it, but his thoughts were just so unclear.

 

On this particular night, it was especially cold and dark like as if there were no stars in the sky. It was almost 4am and Heechul was sleeping on Jiyong’s large bed. Despite it being freezing, the boy had become accustomed to being in a constant state of coldness so the sheets only covered him up to his knees leaving him in only thin trousers and with his bare torso exposed in the night air. His breathing was soft and even.

 

Jiyong sat on a chair facing the bed. His posture was slumped back and his arms hung loose along the arm rests with a cigarette fixed between the index and middle fingers of his right hand. His thin silk shirt was open allowing the cool bite of the air to brush against his bare skin. Daesung had once again repaired the stitches that has been dislodged by Hujin. His heavy eyes were fixed on the window right across from him. He wasn’t looking at anything. It was another one of those nights where he was somewhere else, back at the underpass. All he could see right now was the angry eyes of the older man as he gripped at his throat. Even if the room was filled with people screaming at the top of their lungs, he would still be able to see this image crystal clear in his head. He automatically reached up and brushed his thumb along the smooth skin that was wrapped around his throat and took a slow drag of his cigarette.

 

It was like as if he could feel everything all over again. Having had no memory at all of what had happened to him and then all of a sudden being forced to relive everything felt like living somebody else’s life again. He thought that when he was witnessing Heechul endure Hujin’s torture that it would be the closest he would come to reliving his past. How wrong he would be.

 

As the images changed from being strangled to being thrown against the hard wall he felt something. No, he heard something. A voice. He recognised it. It was Heechul.

 

He snapped his head to the bed to see the faint image of the boy gripping the sheets tightly in his hands and breathing much faster than if he was peacefully asleep. A pained groan came from deep in his throat and his body slowly twisted to the side. This was enough for Jiyong to immediately snap out of his memories, put his cigarette out and jump up onto the bed beside Heechul. He looked down at the twisted boy, now tangled in sheets and saw the sweat shining on his smooth skin. His hair was matted to his forehead and as soon as got close enough he could feel the heat radiating from him.

 

He was having a very vivid nightmare. Jiyong knew all too well, both from his own experiences and having spent so much with the boy. So he reached down and gently applied a warm pressure against his moist chest with his own palm. He watched as Heechul’s brows furrowed and tears began to form in his eyes. His hands reached up and took hold of the arm that was rested against his chest.

 

“D-Don’t... I can’t...”

 

Jiyong knew he was back in the basement.

 

“I... k-killed... h-her...”

 

Jiyong’s memories started to melt into the scenarios he imagined whenever Seunghyun returned from the Hujin compound with a new photograph of Heechul. The crystal clear image from the underpass was now from the basement and he was now the boy he was currently holding down. He felt his heart break a little when he thought about how this was the first time in weeks where he saw the other boy show any weakness or vulnerability. Heechul had been doing his best to be there for Jiyong when he was struggling and realising this only made the dragon want to reach down and take the other in his arms and never let go. But he knew better than that when somebody was having a flashback or nightmare.

 

“Heechul, you didn’t kill her. You didn’t kill anyone.”

 

He spoke in the most soothing voice he could manage, his full focus on the boy below him.

 

“St-top please... I don’t k-know what you... want me to...”

 

Jiyong figured he’d try to jump into Heechul’s head and get through to him that way. Obviously he was experiencing Hujin attacking him over his mother, but he was about to change the dialogue of this particular scene.

 

“Heechul, listen to me. What I want is for you to stop blaming yourself.”

 

The dragon saw that the Hujin boy was battling with this new information so he wanted to do his best to help him. He removed his weight from Heechul’s chest and shifted his position so that he was now kneeling in between the other’s outstretched legs that had at this stage kicked the blankets away. Jiyong reached down and took Heechul delicately by his soft hands and pulled him up so that he could let the boy’s head slowly fall forward and rest just underneath his own chin. He kept his hold on Heechul’s hands and savoured the feeling of his damp and soft hair against his collarbone.

 

For the next few moments Jiyong just let Heechul breath against him, feeling the warm tears fall from his eyes and down onto his own chest. It felt right having the boy so close to him.

 

“Jiyong...”

 

Heechul knew who’s arms he was in.

 

“I’m here.”

 

The dragon lifted his chin, allowing the other boy to look up slowly, showing his glassy and tired eyes. Jiyong smiled at Heechul and rubbed his thumbs along his palms.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Was all the Hujin boy said before leaning forward into Jiyong and embracing him, feeling the bare skin of both of their exposed bodies meld into one.

 

Jiyong let out a light puff of air and brought his own arms around to rest on Heechul’s back.

 

“Thank you, Heechul.”

 

He calmly spoke into the Hujin boy’s neck.

 

“You’ve helped me more than you know.”

 

And right then Jiyong knew that he was never going to let this man go. Heechul was the only thing in the world able to bring him back from the hell in his head and it was because of a bond that only both of them shared with eachother. And Heechul let the heat from the dragon radiate through his body as he thought about how grateful he was that Jiyong was the person he woke up next to.

 

It was never more clear to either of them at this moment that they both needed eachother to survive from here on.

 

And they were both happy to share this truth with eachother.

 

 

\---

 

 

One Month Later - Okinawa

 

She sat on a bench beside her home. She could feel the cool evening breeze brush gently against her cheek. The smell of the sea danced through the air and made her feel at home. But despite all this, she was nervous. The hand that held the cup of tea in front of her was slightly trembling; half from excitement and half from nerves. Just then, a warmth enveloped her as she felt a large hand cover her own to steady it.

 

“You’re shaking like a leaf. Do you need a blanket, sweetheart?”

 

Janghoon reached forward to kiss his wife on the cheek. She smiled and leaned into him.

 

“I’m not cold.”

 

Her husband pulled back and looked at his watch before glancing back up towards the path to their house.

 

“They should be here any minute.”

 

She confirmed and looked out over the evening orange and pink sky.

 

Janghoon smiled as he saw a car start to approach. He figured this was something his wife would like to have some space for.

 

“If you need anything I’ll be right inside.”

 

“Don’t you want to meet them?”

 

He laughed a little.

 

“Of course, and I will. But today is your time.”

 

She returned his smile warmly and nodded.

 

“Thanks, honey.”

 

She watched her husband return to their house before turning to the car that now stopped a few meters from where she sat. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest as she stood up and watched the doors of the black vehicle open.

 

Four men exited the car. They approached the woman at the bench and as they came closer she instantly recognised the first man.

 

“Jiyong.”

 

She beamed and made her way to him. He paced forward with a wide smile of his own and took his mother in his arms, spinning her around.

 

“Mom.”

 

They pulled away, but she kept a hold of his shoulders.

 

“Okay, let me get a good look at you.”

 

She began to inspect her son’s condition, having had some idea of what had gone on since they parted ways. She took his soft cheeks in her warm hands and turned his head, all the while humming to herself as she was satisfied that there were no new scars, that she could see at least.

 

Jiyong found this amusing and he began to pull back and escape her hold.

 

“Mom, please. I’m fine.”

 

He laughed reassuringly which made her smile and just take in the cute face of her beautiful boy. They let the moment last before a figure stepped out from behind Jiyong. Seeing his mother look behind him, the dragon gave some space to make him out.

 

“Oh, Mom. This is Leeteuk.”

 

The handsome man smiled at the woman and bowed to her.

 

“Mrs Keun.”

 

She reached forward and straightened him up gently.

 

“Please, it’s Giran. I’ll have no formalities between us. Do you hear?”

 

The oldest Hujin brother smiled and nodded.

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

Leeteuk then gestured behind him and pulled his youngest brother forward. Jiyong exchanged a glance with him before turning back to his mother.

 

“This is Kyuhyun, mom.”

 

The younger man took another step shyly, keeping his eyes down. Giran approached him and instantly reached up, lifting his chin with her soft fingers. His handsome face was fully visible to her and he lifted his eyes to take in the sight of his mother.

 

“My son.”

 

She whispered, causing the boy to smile and reach forward to take the woman in his arms. She almost had to stand on her toes to match the embrace, something that Jiyong and Leeteuk found amusing. After a moment they pulled back from eachother, both with tears in their eyes.

 

“Has your brother been good to you?”

 

Kyuhyun glanced at Jiyong and smiled, causing the dragon to lift his fist up to playfully threaten him.

 

“He has, m-mom.”

 

It felt strange to say, but also right. They were both so happy in that moment.

 

“You’re home now, son.”

 

Kyuhyun nodded warmly and reached up to wipe a stray tear from his cheek. As he pulled away to join Leeteuk and Jiyong, he revealed one more person standing in front of the woman. He looked delicate and shy. There were sunglasses resting on his nose and he was leaning half of his weight on a cane. He didn’t make any move to come closer. Instead, Giran was the one to approach him.

 

“Mom, this is-”

 

“Heechul.”

 

She finished as she stopped only about an inch from his body and looked up at the boy. She reached up slowly and gently removed the glasses from his soft face. With her other hand she delicately brushed his dark locks away from his brow to reveal strained eyes. After a moment he blinked open his sensitive eyes and looked down warmly at the woman in front of him.

 

“The last time I saw you was in the hospital when Kyuhyun was born. If I knew what was going to happen to you…”

 

The sadness in the woman’s voice caused Jiyong to exchange a glance with Kyuhyun.

 

Heechul swallowed silently and just kept his eyes fixed on Giran.

 

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

 

She said before wrapping her arms around the boy. Heechul glanced up at his brothers for a moment and after a reassuring smile from Jiyong, he leaned down and rested his chin on the woman’s shoulder and let her warmth seep into him.

 

“You’re safe now.”

 

She spoke as if she was speaking to her own son. And despite it being the first time to meet Jiyong and Kyuhyun’s mother, he had no trouble believing her. After another few moments, they broke the embrace. She smiled back up at his soft features.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He quietly said and smiled down at her, causing her to give the boy’s arm a gentle squeeze. She glanced up and saw two more figures leaning against the car. A tall and very handsome man, and a larger set man. They both smiled and nodded at the woman.

 

“That’s Seunghyun and Shindong. Without them, Heechul wouldn’t be standing here.”

 

Jiyong informed his mother.

 

Giran blinked back at the two men and gave them a warm nod. She felt herself well up as the men who were standing around her became known to her. She laughed and wiped away a single tear.

 

“Right, you boys look hungry. Let’s get you all inside and see how Janghoon is doing with the dinner, eh?”

 

She gestured for everyone to follow her into the perfectly warmed house overlooking the sea, including the two assistants. They did as she asked and made their way up the gentle slope. Heechul used his cane to help him make the steps and glanced out over the beautiful sunset, inside feeling just as warm as the rays of the sun that touched his skin. He felt a presence beside him and turned to see Jiyong smiling at him, the orange light bathing his face.

 

“Welcome home.”

 

Heechul reached forward and took Jiyong’s soft hand in his own.

 

“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

 

 

\---

 

The End

 

\---

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed Save You. Please let me know what you thought~


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